Paper currency device

A bill-handling device provides relative movement between a sensor and a U.S. bill or other object to permit that sensor to sense longitudinally-spaced areas on that U.S. bill or other object which correspond to areas, on authentic U.S. bills or counterfeits thereof, where significant data is found. Data which is obtained during the sensing of those areas is stored, and subsequently is analyzed to determine the authenticity and denomination of the U.S. bill--if it is one of a plurality of bills of specifically-different denominations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It would be desirable to be able to determine the authenticity of U.S. 
bills of different denominations, and also to determine those 
denominations. Various devices have been proposed which could distinguish 
between various denominations of U.S. bills; but none of those devices has 
been completely satisfactory. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides relative movement between a sensor and a 
U.S. bill or other object to permit that sensor to sense 
longitudinally-spaced areas on that U.S. bill or other object which 
correspond to areas, on authentic U.S. bills or counterfeits thereof, 
where significant data is found. One of those areas is the leading portion 
of the border on the black-ink face of a U.S. bill, another area is that 
which is immediately in front of, in, and immediately behind the black 
seal on that black-ink face, a third area is the leading portion of the 
portrait border, a fourth area is the leading one-half of the grid-like 
portrait background, and the last area is that which is immediately in 
front of, in, and immediately behind the green seal on that black-ink 
face. Data which is obtained during the sensing of those areas is stored 
and subsequently is analyzed to determine the authenticity and 
denomination of the U.S. bill--if it is one of a plurality of bills of 
specifically-different denominations. It is, therefore, an object of the 
present invention to provide relative movement between a sensor and a U.S. 
bill or other object to permit that sensor to sense longitudinally-spaced 
areas on that U.S. bill or other object which correspond to areas, on 
authentic U.S. bills or counterfeits thereof, where significant data is 
found. 
The lines and other markings on U.S. bills are precisely positioned 
relative to each other during, and as a result of, the engraving of those 
bills. However, the positions of those lines and other markings relative 
to the leading edges of those bills are not uniform, because the cutting 
of the edges of engraved U.S. bills is not done in a precise manner. As a 
result, it is impossible to provide precise sensing of 
longitudinally-spaced areas on the black ink face of a U.S. bill where the 
locations of those areas are referenced to the leading edge of that bill. 
The present invention makes it possible to provide precise sensing of 
longitudinally-spaced areas on the black-ink face of a U.S. bill by 
referencing the locations of those areas to the leading portion of the 
border of that bill. Once that leading portion of that border has been 
located, the positions of the longitudinally-spaced areas that are to be 
sensed are known; and hence precise sensing of those areas is possible. It 
is, therefore, an object of the present invention to sense the locations 
of longitudinally-spaced areas on the black-ink face of a U.S. bill by 
referencing the locations of those areas to the leading portion of the 
border of that bill. 
The spacings between the lines which define the portrait borders on U.S. 
bills are distinctive; and it would be difficult for most persons to 
duplicate those spacings if they attempted to use pen and ink to make a 
counterfeit bill. The present invention senses distances between the 
leading edges of several of those lines, and thereby is able to determine 
the authenticity and denominations of U.S. bills with an unusually high 
degree of precision. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention 
to sense the distances between the leading edges of several of the lines 
which define the portrait borders on U.S. bills. 
The ink used in engraving the green seal on the black-ink face of U.S. 
bills is non-magnetic; but the ink used in engraving the adjacent 
denomination-defining numerals is magnetic. However, if a photocopy of the 
black-ink face of a U.S. bill were to be made by a copying machine that 
used magnetic particles, both the seal and the denomination-defining 
numerals on that copy would be magnetic. The numbers of magnetic-ink lines 
used in the green seal areas on authentic U.S. bills are usable in 
distinguishing between different denominations of those bills; and the 
magnetic lines of a seal made by a copying machine that uses magnetic 
particles helps distinguish the copy which bears that seal from any U.S. 
bill. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to sense the 
numbers of magnetic-ink lines in the green seal areas on authentic U.S. 
bills. 
A bill-handling device should be able to accept all authentic U.S. bills of 
selected denominations even though some of those bills are old and have 
seen rough service. Unfortunately, some of the magnetic ink that is used 
to engrave the black-ink faces of U.S. bills can be worn away during the 
handling of those bills over long periods of time--particularly where 
those bills are folded and unfolded repeatedly. The present invention 
makes it possible to provide precise determinations of the authenticity 
and denominations of old U.S. bills--even where some of the magnetic ink 
that is used to engrave that black-ink faces of those bills has been worn 
away. Specifically, the present invention measures the distances between 
the leading edges of a considerable number of consecutively-arranged lines 
in a U.S. bill, and then determines the average distance between those 
leading edges. In doing so, the present invention can identify and 
authenticate old U.S. bills--even if the ink which defines a line in that 
number of consecutively-arranged lines had been completely worn away. It 
is, therefore, an object of the present invention to measure the distances 
between the leading edges of a considerable number of 
consecutively-arranged lines on a U.S. bill and then determine the average 
distance between those leading edges. 
Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention should 
become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying 
description. 
In the drawing and accompanying description, one embodiment of the present 
invention is shown and described; but it is to be understood that the 
drawing and accompanying description are for purpose of illustration only 
and do not limit the invention and that the invention will be defined by 
the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Major Components of Bill-Handling Device 
Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 30 denotes a transport 
for U.S. bills; and that transport has a platform 32 which projects 
outwardly from the front of a lower platen 40 thereof. A switch actuator 
148, of a normally-open single-pole switch 146, normally extends 
downwardly through a narrow slot in an upper platen 118 of the transport 
to lie in the path of any bill or similar object that is inserted into 
that transport. Similarly, a switch actuator 158, for a normally-open 
single-pole switch 156, normally extends downwardly through a further slot 
in that upper platen to lie in the path of such a bill or object; and a 
switch actuator 164, for a normally-open single-pole switch 162, normally 
extends downwardly through a still further slot in that upper platen to 
lie in the path of such a bill or object. Continuous belts 198 and 199 are 
supported by pulleys that are located above the upper platen 118; and the 
lower "runs" of those belts extend downwardly through elongated wide slots 
in that platen to engage rollers, not shown, which are supported by the 
lower platen 40. A motor 562 drives the belts 198 and 199 via a gear 
train, not shown; and that motor is reversible so it can drive those belts 
in opposite directions. A MOTOR START AND RUN block 348 supplies power to 
that motor via relay contacts 436 and 438 and via relay contacts 442 and 
444 to operate that motor in the reverse direction at a closely-fixed 
speed. That MOTOR START AND RUN block also can supply power to that motor 
via relay contacts 438 and 440 and via relay contacts 444 and 446 to 
operate that motor in the forward direction at that speed. Whenever that 
motor operates in the forward direction, it will cause the belts 198 and 
199 to move from right to left in FIG. 1. An A.C. generator is mounted in 
the housing of motor 562; and it responds to rotation of the output shaft 
of that motor to supply signals to MOTOR START AND RUN block 348 which 
enable that block to closely regulate the speed of that motor. A plug 428 
supplies A.C. to a power supply 430 to enable that power supply to provide 
D.C. for the MOTOR START AND RUN block 348 and also for motor 562. An NPN 
transistor 346 selectively supplies a logic "0" or logic "1" to the 
right-hand input of MOTOR START AND RUN block 348; and that block will 
respond to a logic "0" at that input to keep motor 562 de-energized, but 
will respond to a logic "1" at that input to energize that motor. A 
resistor 342 connects the collector of transistor 346 to power, and the 
emitter of that transistor is grounded. A resistor 344 connects the base 
of that transistor to pin 7 of Port 5 of a microprocessor 470. 
A relay coil 434 controls the positions of movable relay contacts 438 and 
444; and that coil will permit contacts 438 and 444 to be in their 
"forward" positions--wherein they engage contacts 440 and 446, 
respectively--whenever that coil is de-energized. However, the contacts 
438 and 444 will shift into their "reverse" positions--wherein they are in 
engagement with contacts 436 and 442, respectively, whenever relay coil 
434 is energized. 
A display 454, which is an ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY, INC. UNIVERSAL DISPLAY 
MODULE 11141, has six seven-segment units. However, that display is 
mounted so the two righthandmost seven-segment units thereof are 
permanently covered. As a result, only the remaining four seven-segment 
units are visible; and those units are denoted by the numerals 456, 458, 
460 and 462. The display 454 can be made to display any one of the 
following indicia: 1.00, 2.00, 5.00, 10.00 and 20.00. 
The transport 30 has a magnetic head 208 which will engage any U.S. bill 
that is moved through that transport. A combination amplifier and low-pass 
filter 420 is connected to the output of that magnetic head, a level 
detector 422 is connected to the output of that combination amplifier and 
low-pass filter, a Schmitt trigger 424 is connected to the output of that 
level detector, and a monostable multivibrator 426 is connected to the 
output of that Schmitt trigger and has its output connected to pin 7 of 
Port 1 of the microprocessor 470. 
The confronting surfaces of the platens 40 and 118 are spaced apart to 
define a pathway through which a U.S. bill or similar object can be moved; 
and a patron can easily introduce a U.S. bill into that pathway by resting 
the leading portion of that bill on the platform 32 and then pushing that 
leading portion into that pathway. Shortly after that leading portion has 
been pushed into that pathway, the leading edge of the bill will engage 
actuator 148; and continued inner movement of the bill will cause that 
actuator to move far enough to close switch 146. 
Various motor starting and running circuits could be used as the MOTOR 
START AND RUN block 348; but the circuits that are disclosed for the 
identically-named and numbered block of Jones et al U.S. Pat. No. 
3,937,926 for a Validator For Scrip, and that have been used in the 
BUCKPASSER bill-handling devices marketed by the NRI division of UMC 
Industries, are preferred. Various generator-equipped motors could be used 
as the motor 562; but the 9904-120-10804 motor of the Phillips Motor 
Company is preferred. Similarly, although various transports could be used 
as the transport 30, the preferred transport for the bill-handling device 
of the present invention is a modified form of the transport that is 
described in said patent and that has been used in said BUCKPASSER 
bill-handling devices. The only modification that is needed in the 
transport of said patent is the removal of one of the magnetic heads, and 
the positioning of the remaining magnetic head so it is about midway 
between the elongated sides of the upper platen 118. Various power 
supplies could be used as the power supply 430; but the power supply that 
has been used in said BUCKPASSER bill-handling devices is preferred. 
Various magnetic heads could be used as the magnetic head 208, but the 
identically-numbered magnetic head that is described in said patent, and 
that has been used in said BUCKPASSER bill-handling devices, is preferred. 
Various combination amplifier and low-pass filters could be used as the 
combination amplifier and low-pass filter 402; but the combination 
amplifier and low-pass filter that has been used in the BUCKPASSER 
bill-handling devices is preferred. That combination amplifier and 
low-pass filter amplifies and passes signals close to one kilohertz and 
attenuates higher-frequency signals, electrical noise and other 
transients. Various devices could be used as the level detector 422, but 
one-quarter of a National LM324 Operational Amplifier is preferred. 
Various devices could be used as Schmitt trigger 424, but one-quarter of 
an RCA 4093 Schmitt trigger is preferred. Various devices could be used 
as the multivibrator 426, but one-half of an RCA 4013 D-type Flip Flop is 
preferred. Various microprocessors could be used as the microprocessor 
470; but a preferred form of microprocessor consists of an Environmental 
Technology, Inc. LITTLE BIT COMPUTER 10154A and an Environmental 
Technology, Inc. PROTOTYPE KIT 11479. The LITTLE BIT COMPUTER 10154A 
includes a Fairchild F8-3850 central processing unit, a Fairchild F8-3853 
static memory interface, a Fairchild F8-3861 peripheral input/output, and 
a one kilobyte Motorola MCM2708 E-PROM. 
TURN ON 
Whenever the bill-handling device is turned on, as by supplying power to 
the microprocessor 470, that microprocessor will automatically do two 
things. First, it will load into the program counter the address 
representing the beginning of the program, and, second, it will block the 
interrupts. Thereupon, the program will, via connective 484 in FIG. 5, 
initiate the approximately fifty millisecond (50 MS) delay of step 486. 
That delay is provided by the combination of a system clocking frequency 
of two (2) megahertz and the delay sub-routine of FIG. 6. DELAY connective 
488, steps 490, 492, 494, 496, 498 and 500, and RETURN connective 502 
constitute the delay subroutine of FIG. 6. During step 490 of that 
sub-routine, twenty (20) is loaded into scratchpad register 4, during step 
492 two hundred and fifty-five (255) is loaded into scratchpad register 2, 
and during step 494 the value in scratchpad register 2 is decremented by 
one (1) to two hundred and fifty-four (254). The immediately-succeeding 
ANDING function during step 496 will determine that the count in 
scratchpad register 2 is not zero (0); and the resulting NO will cause the 
program to loop to step 494. The consequent decrementing of the value in 
scratchpad register 2 to two hundred and fifty-three (253) will permit the 
next ANDING function of step 496 to develop a further NO. The program will 
loop through steps 494 and 496 a further two hundred and fifty-three times 
until the ANDING function of step 496 determines that the value in 
scratchpad register 2 has been progressively decremented to zero (0); and 
the elapsed time between the loading of scratchpad register 2 and the 
development of the YES by the ANDING function of step 496 will be about 
two and one-half milliseconds (2.5 MS). 
The YES of step 496 will enable the value in scratchpad register 4 to be 
decremented from twenty (20) to nineteen (19) during step 498. The 
immediately-succeeding ANDING function of step 500 will determine that the 
value in that scratchpad register is not zero (0); and the resulting NO 
will loop the program to step 492. During the latter step, two hundred and 
fifty-five (255) will again be loaded into scratchpad register 2; and, 
thereafter, steps 494 and 496 will consume a further approximately two and 
one-half milliseconds (2.5 MS) until step 496 again provides a YES. 
Further loopings of the program through steps 492, 494, 496, 498 and 500 
will repeatedly decrement and then re-load scratchpad register 2 until the 
value in scratchpad register 4 is progressively decremented to zero (0). 
The total time between the loading and the complete decrementing of the 
latter scratchpad register will be approximately fifty milliseconds (50 
MS); and hence when the program returns to step 486 of FIG. 5, via the 
RETURN connective 502 of FIG. 6, the desired delay will have been 
provided. 
Thereupon, during step 506, the control ports of the microprocessor 470 
will be "initialized" to have the following logic values: 
______________________________________ 
PORT PIN LOGIC VALUE 
______________________________________ 
0 0 0 
0 1 0 
0 2 0 
1 4 0 
1 5 0 
1 6 0 
1 7 0 
4 0 0 
4 1 0 
4 2 0 
4 3 0 
4 4 0 
5 1 1 
5 2 1 
5 6 1 
5 7 0 
______________________________________ 
The control ports develop signals, at the corresponding input pins of 
microprocessor 470, which are the complements of the logic values to which 
those control ports are initialized. As a result, each of the input pins 
of microprocessor 470, which correspond to pins 1, 2 and 6 of Port 5 will 
provide a logic "0" whereas each of the input pins of that microprocessor 
which correspond to pins 0, 1 and 2 of Port 0, to pins 4, 5, 6 and 7 of 
Port 1, to pins 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Port 4, and to pin 7 of Port 5 will 
provide a logic "1". 
During step 508 the timer in 3853 will be set to respond to each interrupt 
to address the TIMER connective 548 of FIG. 7. During the next-succeeding 
step 510, an ANDING function will determine whether the switch 146 is open 
or closed. If that switch is open, the resulting signal at pin 4 of Port 1 
will cause that ANDING function to provide a NO; and thereafter the 
program will loop at step 510 until switch 146 is closed. 
At such time, the bill-handling device will be in a "ready" or "standby" 
condition; and it will remain in that condition until switch 146 is closed 
or power is disconnected from the microprocessor 470. As indicated by the 
START connective 504 of FIG. 5, the bill-handling device will assume the 
"ready" or "standby" condition each time it has (a) determined that an 
insert is not authentic or is not a U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five 
dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill and has caused the motor 562 to 
reverse and to move that insert back out of the transport or (b) has 
determined that an insert is an authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, 
five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill. 
HEAD SIGNALS 
When an insert is inserted in, and then is moved inwardly of, the transport 
30, the scan path 230 on that insert will be engaged by the air gap of the 
magnetic head 208. If that insert is an authentic U.S. one dollar, two 
dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill, and if that bill 
has its black-ink face up, the air gap of that magnetic head will engage, 
and respond to, each of the magnetic-ink lines along the scan path 230. 
Further, if that bill is inserted so the green seal is remote from the 
platens 40 and 118--and pictorial and written instructions on the platform 
32 will encourage patrons to so insert each bill--the air gap of the 
magentic head 208 will engage, and sense, the magnetic-ink lines of that 
scan path in a known order and at known spacings therebetween. The 
amplifier and low pass filter 420 will amplify those signals from magnetic 
head 208 which are below the one kilohertz range; and the level detector 
422 will respond to all of the signals from amplifier 420 which have an 
amplitude greater than a predetermined minimum amplitude. Schmitt trigger 
424 and monostable multivibrator 426 will generate a steep-sided 
negative-going pulse in response to each negative-going signal from level 
detector 422. As a result, whenever the air gap of the magnetic head 208 
is not engaging a magnetic-ink line or area, a logic "0" will appear at 
the output of that monostable multivibrator; and whenever that air gap 
engages the leading edge of a magnetic-ink line or area, a logic "1" will 
appear at the output of that monostable multivibrator. A logic "1" will 
continue to appear at that output as long as that magnetic-ink line or 
area continues to move in engagement with the air gap of the magnetic head 
208; but that logic "1" will abruptly change to a logic "0" as an ink-free 
area is moved into engagement with that air gap. Although those logic "1" 
and logic "0" signals appear at the output of the monostable multivibrator 
426, those signals will, after being inverted by the input port of the 
microprocessor 470, be referred to hereinafter as "head signals" because 
they were originated by the magnetic head 208 as the insert was moved past 
the air gap of that magnetic head. 
DISPLAY ROUTINE 
Whenever the CALL DISPLAY step 770 of FIG. 17 is initiated, the program 
will be directed to step 600 of FIG. 9; and, during that step the ISAR 
will be set to address scratch pad register 48. Also during that step, a 
five (5) will be loaded into scratch pad register 0. During step 602, the 
contents of the scratch pad register that is currently being addressed by 
the ISAR--and, during the first execution of that step, it will be scratch 
pad register 48--will be transferred to the Accumulator. Also during step 
602, the ISAR will be incremented; and during that first execution of step 
602, the ISAR will be incremented to address scratch pad register 49. 
During step 604, the contents of the Accumulator will be supplied to Port 
4; and, during step 606, the number in scratch pad register O will be 
supplied to Port 0. Also during step 606, a strobe will be applied to pin 
4 of Port 5. Thereupon, the data which the Accumulator supplied to Port 4 
during step 604 will be transferred to a register within the display 454 
that is dedicated to the seven-segment unit 456; and that seven-segment 
unit will provide the display, if any, called for by that transferred 
data. If the insert is an authentic twenty dollar bill, that seven-segment 
unit will be illuminated to display a two (2); but if that insert is an 
authentic ten dollar bill, that seven-segment unit will be illuminated to 
display a one (1). In all other instances, seven-segment unit 456 will 
remain blank. During step 608, the count in scratch pad register O will be 
decremented; and, in the first execution of that step, that count will be 
decremented to four (4). A comparing function during step 610 will 
determine whether the count in scratch pad register O is minus one (-1); 
and, in the first execution of that step, a NO will be produced. 
Thereupon, the program will branch to step 602; and, during the second 
execution of that step, the contents of scratch pad register 49 will be 
transferred to the Accumulator, and the ISAR will be incremented to 
address scratch pad register 50. During the second execution of step 604, 
the value in the Accumulator--which previously had been in scratch pad 
register 49--will be supplied to Port 4. During the second execution of 
step 606, the four (4) count in scratch pad register O will be supplied to 
Port 0; and a strobe will be applied to pin 4 of Port 5 thereby enabling 
the data at Port 4 to be transferred to a register in the display 454 that 
is dedicated to the seven-segment unit 458, and causing that seven-segment 
unit to provide the display called for by that transfered data. If the 
insert is an authentic one dollar bill, that data will be a HEX 11 and 
that seven-segment unit will be illuminated to display a one (1), if the 
insert is an authentic two dollar bill, that data will be a HEX 12 and 
that seven-segment unit will be illuminated to display a two (2), and if 
the insert is an authentic five dollar bill, that data will be a HEX 15 
and that seven-segment unit will be illuminated to display a five (5). If 
the insert is an authentic ten dollar bill, that data will be a HEX 10 and 
that seven-segment unit will be illuminated to display a zero (0); and, 
similarly, if the insert is an authentic twenty dollar bill, that data 
will be a HEX 10 and that seven-segment unit will be illuminated to 
display a zero (0). In all other instances, the seven-segment unit 458 
will, when it is illuminated, display a zero (0). During the second 
execution of step 608, the four (4) in scratch pad register O will be 
decremented to three (3); and, during the second execution of step 610, 
the comparing function will again produce a NO. 
The display routine, which includes steps 602, 604, 606, 608 and 610, will 
be repeated four more times; and, during the sixth execution of step 610, 
the comparing function will determine that the value in scratch pad 
register O is minus one (-1). The resulting YES will, via RETURN 
connective 612, cause the program to branch back to step 770 of FIG. 17. 
During those four more executions of the display routine, the contents of 
each of the scratch pad registers 50, 51, 52 and 53 will be successively 
transferred to the Accumulator, to Port 4, and then to four 
individually-different scratch pad registers in display 454 that are 
dedicated to the seven-segment units 460 and 462 and to the other two 
seven-segment units, not shown, of that display. Also, each of the 
seven-segment units 460 and 462 will be illuminated to display a zero (0). 
The data which is stored in scratch pad registers 50, 51, 52 and 53 will 
not change during the operation of the bill-handling device; because each 
of seven-segment units 460 and 462 will display a zero (0) whenever it is 
illuminated, and each of the covered seven-segment units will be blanked. 
However, the data which is stored in scratch pad register 48 will 
selectively cause seven-segment unit 456 to display a zero (0), a one (1) 
or a two (2); and the data which is stored in scratch pad register 49 will 
selectively cause seven-segment unit 458 to display a five (5), a two (2), 
a one (1) or a zero (0). 
The data which is loaded into scratch pad register 48 during step 520 of 
FIG. 5 will keep seven-segment unit 456 blank until (a) that data is 
changed during step 822 of FIG. 19 and (b) step 770 of FIG. 17 causes the 
display routine to enable that data to effect the displaying of a two (2) 
by seven-segment unit 456, or until (c) that data is changed during step 
880 of FIG. 21 and (d) step 770 of FIG. 17 causes the display routine to 
enable that data to effect the displaying of a one (1) by seven-segment 
unit 456. The data which is loaded into scratch pad register 49 during 
step 520 of FIG. 5 will cause seven-segment unit 458 to display a zero (0) 
until (a) that data is changed during step 764 of FIG. 16 and (b) step 770 
of FIG. 17 causes the display routine to enable that data to effect the 
displaying of a five (5) by seven-segment unit 458, or until (c) that data 
is changed during step 802 of FIG. 18 and (d) step 770 of FIG. 17 causes 
the display routine to enable that data to effect the displaying of a one 
(1) by seven-segment unit 458, or until (e) that data is changed during 
step 858 of FIG. 20 and (f) step 770 of FIG. 17 causes the display routine 
to enable that data to effect the displaying of a two (2) by seven-segment 
unit 458. In this way, the indicia provided by the display 454 will be 
"0.00" until the acceptance of an insert cause different indicia to be 
displayed by seven-segment units 456 and 458. 
Whenever various of the seven-segment units 456, 458, 460 and 462 have been 
illuminated, during the various executions of step 606 of the display 
routine, those units will tend to remain illuminated. Consequently, the 
display 454 will tend to continue to display whatever indicia the 
seven-segment units are caused to exhibit. However, when a further insert 
is introduced into the transport 30, step 520 of FIG. 5 will again load 
the scratch pad registers 48, 49, 50, 51, 52 and 53 with data which will 
call for the blanking of seven-segment unit 456, and the two covered 
seven-segment units, and which will call for each of seven-segment units 
458, 460 and 462 to display a zero (0). During the next-succeeding step 
522 of FIG. 5, all of the six (6) seven-segment units will be rendered 
blank so they will be dark. 
Reject Routine 
Steps 580, 582, 584, 586, 588, 590, 592 and 594 of FIG. 8 constitute a 
reject routine which will be executed whenever an analysis of the data 
obtained from an insert shows that the data fails to match certain pre-set 
values. REJECT connective 578 in FIG. 8 will respond to any one of REJECT 
connective 576 of FIG. 7, REJECT connective 738 of FIG. 12, REJECT 
connectives 778, 780, 784, 788, 826, 828, 830, 834, 838, 842, 864 and 886 
of FIG. 14, REJECT connectives 890 and 894 of FIG. 15, REJECT connective 
794 of FIG. 16, REJECT connectives 806 and 808 of FIG. 18, REJECT 
connectives 852 and 856 of FIG. 20, REJECT connectives 874 and 878 of FIG. 
21 to branch the program to step 580 of the reject routine. During that 
step, a HEX 10 will be stored in scratch pad register 49; and then the 
display routine of FIG. 9 will be called for. During the execution of that 
routine, each of the scratch pad registers 48, 49, 50, 51, 52 and 53 will 
be addressed, the data therein will be transferred to the appropriate 
register in display 454, and a strobe will cause the corresponding 
seven-segment unit to respond to that transferred data. Thereupon, the 
seven-segment units 458, 460 and 462 will display "0.00"--thereby showing 
that the insert was not acceptable. 
At the conclusion of the display routine, the program will, via RETURN 
connective 612 of FIG. 9, branch to step 582 of FIG. 8. During that step 
the logic "1", which must be supplied to pin 7 of Port 5 during step 512 
of FIG. 5 to cause motor 562 to start operating in the forward direction, 
will be changed to logic "0"--thereby de-energizing that motor and 
permitting it to stop. During the succeeding step 584, the delay 
subroutine of FIG. 6 will be operated to provide a fifty millisecond (50 
ms) delay. At the conclusion of that fifty millisecond (50 ms) delay, the 
program will return, via RETURN connective 502 of FIG. 6, to step 586 of 
FIG. 8. During that step, a logic "1" will again be supplied to pin 7 of 
Port 5 and a logic "1" will be supplied to pin 6 of that port. Transistor 
346 of FIG. 4 will respond to the resulting "0" at its base to be 
non-conductive, and thereby enable resistor 342 to apply a "1" to the 
upper right-hand input of the MOTOR START AND RUN block 348; and 
transistor 452 will respond to the resulting "0", which resistor 450 will 
apply to its base, to be non-conductive, and thereby enable resistor 448 
to cause current to flow through resistor 448 and relay coil 434 to 
energize that relay coil. The resulting shifting of relay contacts 438 and 
444 to their left-hand "reverse" positions will cause the motor 562 to 
start operating in the "reverse" direction--with consequent movement of 
belts 198 and 199, and of the insert held thereby, from left to right in 
FIGS. 1 and 2. During the succeeding step 588, the delay subroutine of 
FIG. 6 will be executed to provide a further fifty millisecond (50 ms) 
delay. At the conclusion of that further fifty millisecond (50 ms) delay, 
the program will return, via RETURN connective 502 of FIG. 6, to step 590 
of FIG. 8; and, during that step, a comparing function will determine 
whether the insert has been moved far enough toward the platform 32 to 
release the actuator 148 of switch 146. If that comparing function 
provides a NO, as it will do until the insert has been moved all of the 
way back to the platform 32, the program will loop at step 590. When the 
comparing function of step 590 determines that switch 146 has re-opened, 
logic "1" at pin 7 of Port 5 and logic "1" at pin 6 of that port will be 
changed to logic "0". Thereupon, motor 562 and relay coil 434 will become 
de-energized. At this time, the major portion of the length of the insert 
will be resting upon, or extending outwardly beyond, the platform 32; and 
the patron can easily retrieve that insert. During the succeeding step 594 
of FIG. 8, a one hundred millisecond (100 ms) delay will be provided by 
causing the delay routine of FIG. 6 to be executed two succeeding times. 
At the end of that one hundred millisecond (100 ms) delay, the program 
will branch, via RETURN connective 502 of FIG. 6, to START connective 596 
of FIG. 8. That connective and START connective 504 of FIG. 5 will branch 
the program to step 506 of FIG. 5, wherein the ports of the microprocessor 
470 will again be "initialized" to the same logic states to which they 
were "initialized" during the first execution of step 506. During the 
next-succeeding step 508, the timer interrupt address will be set in the 
same manner as, and to the same address to which, it was set during the 
first execution of that step. During the next-succeeding step 510, a 
comparing function will determine whether switch 146 has again been 
closed. If that comparing function provides a NO--thereby indicating that 
switch 146 has not been re-closed--the program will loop at step 510 until 
that switch is again re-closed. At this time, the bill-handling device 
will again be in its "standby" or "ready" condition. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA USED TO DETERMINE 
AUTHENTICITY AND DENOMINATION OF PAPER CURRENCY 
The transport 30 will respond to the closing of switch 146 to cause the 
motor 562 to act through the gear train to cause the belts 198 and 199 to 
start moving from right to left in FIGS. 1-3; and those belts will move at 
the rate of ten (10) inches per second. If switch 146 was closed by the 
insertion of a U.S. bill of any given denomination or by a piece of paper 
of the same size and stiffness as such a bill, that bill or piece of paper 
(hereinafter insert) will be moved from right to left in FIGS. 1-3. The 
leading edge of that insert will successively engage actuator 158 to close 
switch 156, engage the air gap of magnetic head 208, and engage actuator 
164 to close switch 162. Prior to the time the leading edge of that insert 
engages actuator 164, that leading edge will engage the air gap of 
magnetic head 208; and thereafter, as long as any part of that insert 
engages and moves past that air gap, that magnetic head will scan a 
portion of the scan path 230. As shown by FIG. 3, that scan path is about 
midway between the upper and lower edges of a U.S. bill. The insert will 
continue to move from right to left in FIGS. 1-3 until the trailing edge 
of that insert is moved to the left beyond actuator 164 to permit switch 
162 to re-open, or the motor 562 is caused to stop and then reverse the 
movement of that insert to cause that insert to move back out of transport 
30 and thereby permit switches 162, 156 and 146 to re-open. 
Although the air gap of magnetic head 208 will scan all magnetic ink lines 
and areas on the insert which cross the scan path 230, the scanning of 
some of those lines and areas is very important, whereas the scanning of 
the rest of those lines and areas is not. Specifically, it is important to 
scan the area where the leading portion of the rectangular border of a 
U.S. bill is located; and it is recognized that the width of that area 
differs between U.S. bills of different denominations, and it also is 
recognized that the distance between that area and the leading edges of 
U.S. bills of the same denomination also varies. Further, it is important 
to scan the area, intermediate the leading portion of the border and the 
leading portion of the portrait border on a U.S. bill, where the black-ink 
seal is located. Additionally, it is important to scan the area where the 
leading edge of the portrait border and the leading portion of the 
grid-like portrait background of a U.S. bill are located. Finally, it is 
important to scan the area, intermediate the trailing edge of the portrait 
border and the trailing portion of the rectangular border on a U.S. bill, 
where the green-ink seal and the black-ink denomination-identifying 
numerals are located. 
On each U.S. bill, the distances between the leading portion of the 
rectangular border, the black seal, the leading portion of the portrait 
border, and the green seal are precisely fixed at the time that bill is 
engraved. However, the distance between the leading edge of a bill and the 
leading portion of the rectangular border is not precisely fixed; because 
the cutting of the edges of engraved bills is not done in a precise 
manner. As a result, any system of collecting and analyzing data, to be 
used in determining the authenticity and denomination of any U.S. bill or 
piece of paper, which relates its time base to the leading edge of that 
U.S. bill or piece of paper could produce unacceptably-inaccurate 
determinations of authenticity or denomination. The present invention 
obviates the production of unacceptably-inaccurate determinations of 
authenticity or denomination by using a time base which is related to the 
leading portion of the rectangular border of a U.S. bill, rather than to 
the leading edge of that bill; and hence has a very predictable relation 
to each of the hereinbefore-identified important scanning areas of a U.S. 
bill. That time base consists of a large number of segments--each of which 
has a duration of two and three-tenths (2.3) of a millisecond; and that 
time base enables the bill-handling device to collect and store data 
obtained during the scanning of the hereinbefore-identified important 
scanning areas of a U.S. bill while freeing that bill-handling device of 
the need of collecting and storing data obtained during the scanning of 
the remaining areas of that bill. 
At the time the leading edge of an insert moves actuator 148 far enough to 
close switch 146, the timer in 3853 establishes three and nine-tenths 
millisecond (3.9 ms) time periods; and those time periods will be provided 
prior to, and during, the time when the air gap of magnetic head 208 is 
engaged by the area on the insert which corresponds to the area where the 
leading portions of the borders of U.S. bills are located. If, two (2) 
signals, which are comparable to signals that are developed as a 
magnetic-ink line or area is moved into engagement with that air gap, are 
developed during one of the three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) 
time periods, or if one (1) such signal is developed during one of those 
time periods and another such signal is developed during the 
immediately-succeeding time period, it can be assumed that those signals 
were due to the sensing of two (2) magnetic-ink lines or areas and not to 
electrical noise or other transients. Further, it will be assumed that 
those magnetic-ink lines or areas were in the leading portion of the 
border of a U.S. bill; and thereafter a number of predetermined areas, 
which are spaced known distances from the leading portions of the borders 
of U.S. bills, will be sensed. 
In the first of those areas--which corresponds to the area that starts 
immediately ahead of and that ends immediately behind, the black-ink seal 
on a U.S. bill--no magnetic-ink lines or areas should be sensed; because 
the ink in that seal is non-magnetic. However, if the insert was a 
photocopy, of a U.S. bill, which had been made by a copying machine that 
uses magnetic particles, that area would produce many signals as the air 
gap of magnetic head 208 engaged that area. As a result, the absence of 
signals from that area can be used as one indication of authenticity, and 
the presence of an appreciable number of signals from that area can be 
used to initiate the rejection of the insert. 
In the second of the predetermined areas--which corresponds to the area on 
U.S. bills where the lefthand portrait border lines are located--signals 
should be developed which have durations that indicate the widths of those 
lines and of the immediately-succeeding spaces. Because the widths of the 
portrait border lines and of the immediately-succeeding spaces on U.S. 
twenty dollar bills differ from those on two dollar and ten dollar bills, 
the measuring of the widths of the portrait border lines, and of the 
immediately-succeeding spaces, helps distinguish between twenty dollar 
bills and two dollar and ten dollar bills. Also, the measuring of those 
widths helps distinguish between two dollar and ten dollar bills. 
In the third of the predetermined areas--which corresponds to the area on 
U.S. bills where the portion of the portrait background is 
located--signals should be developed which have durations that indicate 
the widths of the vertical lines, which help form that background, and of 
the immediately-succeeding spaces. Because the widths of the vertical 
portrait background lines and of the immediately-succeeding spaces on U.S. 
one dollar and five dollar bills differ from each other and also from 
those on two dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills, the measuring of 
the widths of those lines and of the immediately-succeeding spaces helps 
distinguish between one dollar and five dollar bills, and also helps 
distinguish those bills from two dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar 
bills. 
In the last of the predetermined areas--which corresponds to the area on 
U.S. bills where the green seal and the black-ink denomination-defining 
lines are located--predictable numbers of signals can be anticipated 
during the scanning of that area on authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, 
five dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills. Those signals can be used 
to help determine the denominations of inserted U.S. bills; and those 
signals materially help in distinguishing U.S. bills from counterfeit 
bills. Specifically, the numbers of signals from the green seal area of an 
authentic U.S. bill (a) will be much greater than the essentially-zero 
number of signals obtained by scanning the green seal area of a 
counterfeit made with non-magnetic ink particles and (b) will be much less 
than the very large number of signals obtained by scanning the green seal 
area of a counterfeit made with magnetic ink particles. 
All of the signals that are needed to identify authentic U.S. one dollar, 
two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills and to reject 
all counterfeits are initiated by a single magnetic head, during a single 
pass of a bill or other object past that magnetic head. As a result, the 
bill-handling device provided by the present invention utilizes a minimum 
of parts, requires a minimum of time to test bills, and requires a minimum 
of space. 
Detailed Description of Collection of Data 
As an insert moves actuator 148 far enough to close switch 146, the 
resulting logic "1" signal at pin 4 of Port 1 of microprocessor 470 will 
cause a delay of slightly less than three milliseconds (3 ms) to be 
provided during step 510 of FIG. 5. That delay is produced by loading 
scratch pad register 2 with a count of one hundred and thirteen (113) and 
then decrementing that count to zero (0). Each time that count is 
decremented during step 510, the state of the signal at pin 4 of Port 1 
will be sensed to determine whether switch 146 is still closed. If that 
state of that signal remains unchanged throughout the decrementing of 
register 2 to zero (0), step 510 will provide a YES. Step 512 will respond 
to that YES to provide a logic "1" signal at pin 7 of Port 5 and a logic 
"0" signal at pin 6 of that Port; and those signals will indicate that 
switch 146 remained closed for almost three milliseconds (3 ms). Port 5 
will supply the complements of those signals to the corresponding output 
pins of microprocessor 470. 
If, at any time while the count in register 2 was being decremented, step 
510 had sensed a change in the state of the signal at pin 4 of Port 1, 
that step would have provided a NO; thereby indicating that switch 146 had 
re-opened. In that event, the signal at pin 7 of Port 5 would have 
continued to be a logic "0"; and the motor 562 would have remained 
de-energized. Also, the program would have resumed its looping at step 
510; and that looping would have continued until switch 146 was again 
closed. 
The application of a logic "1" to pin 7 of Port 5, as step 512 responded to 
the YES from step 510, removed the previously-existing forward bias for 
NPN transistor 346; and hence the collector of that transistor applied a 
logic "1" to the upper right-hand input of MOTOR START AND RUN block 348. 
The simultaneous application of a logic "1" to the base of transistor 452 
forward-biased that transistor; and the resulting conduction of that 
transistor permitted relay coil 434 to be de-energized and to dispose 
movable contacts 438 and 444 in their right-hand "forward" positions. The 
resulting energization of motor 562 enabled that motor to start moving the 
insert inwardly of the transport 30; and the MOTOR START AND RUN block 348 
caused that insert to be moved inwardly at a constant speed of ten (10) 
inches per second. 
During step 514 of FIG. 5, a comparing function is used to check the state 
of the signal at pin 4 of Port 1, and thereby determine whether switch 146 
still is closed. If that switch were not closed, as indicated by a NO at 
the conclusion of that comparing function, the signal at pin 7 of Port 5 
would be changed back to logic "0"; and transistor 346 and MOTOR START AND 
RUN block 348 would respond to the resulting logic "1" at the 
corresponding output pin of microprocessor 470 to de-energize the motor 
562, as indicated by step 516. At such time, the belts 198 and 199 would 
come to rest, and the insert would not be moved any further into the 
transport 30. Also, the program would branch back to step 510; and it 
would then loop at that step until such time as switch 146 was again 
closed for slightly less than three milliseconds (3 ms). However unless, 
prior to the initiation of the comparing function of step 514, the insert 
had been pulled back out of that transport by the person who inserted it, 
switch 146 would continue to remain closed; and the motor 562 would 
continue to move the insert inwardly of that transport. 
In response to a YES from the comparing function of step 514, one or more 
comparison checks will be made during step 518 of the state of the signal 
at pin 6 of Port 1 to determine whether switch 156 is closed. Because a 
finite time will be required to move the leading edge of an insert from 
the point where it moved actuator 148 far enough to close switch 146 to 
the point where it can move actuator 148 far enough to close switch 156, 
the initial check during step 518 will usually determine that switch 156 
still is open. The resulting NO from that initial comparison check will 
cause the program to loop through steps 514 and 518 as long as switch 146 
remains closed and switch 156 remains open. 
During each loop through those steps, the closed state of switch 146 will 
enable step 514 to provide a YES, but the open state of switch 156 will 
cause step 514 to provide a NO--with consequent resumption of the looping 
of the program through those steps. If, during any of those loopings, the 
comparing function in step 514 were to determine that switch 146 had 
re-opened, the resulting NO at that step would cause the motor 562 to be 
de-energized, as at step 516, and would cause the program to loop at step 
510 until switch 146 was again closed. 
A YES from the comparing function of step 514 will permit the motor 562 to 
effect continued inward movement of the insert; and, within a small 
fraction of a second, the leading edge of that insert will move actuator 
158 far enough to close switch 156. The next comparing function of step 
518 will respond to the closed state of that switch to provide a YES. 
During the immediately-succeeding step 520, scratch pad registers 48, 49, 
50, 51, 52 and 53 will have the following "words" written into them: 
______________________________________ 
Register 
Word 
______________________________________ 
48 0000 1111 
49 0000 0000 
50 0000 0000 
51 0000 0000 
52 0000 1111 
53 0000 1111 
______________________________________ 
Those registers store the data which is used to determine whether the 
seven-segment units of display 454 are left dark or are used to display 
desired indicia. Register 48 provides the data for seven-segment unit 456, 
register 49 provides the data for seven-segment unit 458, register 50 
provides the data for seven-segment unit 460, register 51 provides the 
data for seven-segment unit 462, and registers 52 and 53 provide the data 
for the two right hand-most seven-segment units which are not shown in 
FIG. 4 because they are covered up and not used. Registers 52 and 53 
continuously store 0000 1111 therein to provide continuous blanking of the 
two right hand-most seven-segment units. Register 48 initially stores a 
0000 1111 therein--to normally keep seven-segment unit 456 dark; because 
one dollar, two dollar, and five dollar bills are used more frequently 
than ten dollar and twenty dollar bills in the purchase of products or 
services offered by vending machines. During step 522, signals are 
supplied to all of the seven-segment units of display 454 to keep those 
units dark, irrespective of the data in registers 48 through 53. 
During step 524, a delay of twenty milliseconds (20 ms) is provided, and 
that delay is produced by a subroutine which is similar to that of FIG. 6. 
However, instead of loading twenty (20) into register 4, eight (8) is 
loaded into that register. As a result, the delay has a duration of only 
twenty millisecond (20 ms) instead of the fifty milliseconds (50 ms) which 
is provided by the subroutine of FIG. 6. At the conclusion of the twenty 
milliseconds (20 ms) delay, scratch pad registers 0, 1, 2, 4 7 and 8 are 
"initialized" in step 526. Specifically, two (2) is loaded into register 
0, one hundred and eighty (180) is loaded into register 1, two (2) is 
loaded into register 4, and zero (0) is loaded into each of registers 2, 7 
and 8. 
During step 528, the indirect scratch pad address register (hereinafter 
ISAR) is set to address scratch pad register 40. 
Sensing for Closely-Spaced Lines in Leading Portion of Border 
The timer in 3853 is started in step 530; and that timer is programmed 
during that step to provide a time period of three and nine-tenths 
milliseconds (3.9 ms) and also to provide an interrupt at the end of that 
time period. Also, the 3861 interrupts are disabled, and the external 
interrupts for the 3850 CPU are enabled, during step 530. During step 532, 
register 5 is set to a known state; and, in the program which is attached 
to and made a part of this description, that state is one (1). Steps 538, 
540, 542, 544 and 546 constitute a data collection routine which the 
program will execute many times. The first execution of that routine, 
during the collecting of data from an insert, will occur before the 
leading edge of that insert reaches the air gap of the magnetic head 
208--and hence will occur at a time when no magnetic-ink line or area is 
in engagement with that air gap. As a result, at the time of the first 
execution of the data collection routine during the collecting of data 
from an insert, the magnetic head signal will be a logic "1"; and the 
program will be searching for a logic "0"--to determine when a 
magnetic-ink line or area moves into engagement with the air gap of 
magnetic head 208. By loading a one (1) into register 5, step 532 
facilitates the search for a logic "0" magnetic head signal. Specifically, 
during step 536, a comparing function will determine whether the value in 
register 5 equals one (1); and, if the answer is YES, a comparing function 
during step 538 will determine whether the head signal also is one (1). If 
the answer is YES--thereby indicating that the air gap of magnetic head 
208 is not engaging a magnetic-ink line or area, the program will loop at 
step 538 until such time as the head signal becomes zero (0)--thereby 
indicating that a magnetic-ink line or area has moved into engagement with 
that air gap. The zero (0) head signal will cause the comparing function 
of step 538 to provide a NO; and, thereupon, during step 540, a zero (0) 
will be loaded into register 5. 
An ANDING function during step 542 will check the logic state of the head 
signal; and, because the magnetic-ink line or area still is in engagement 
with the air gap of magnetic head 208, that state will be a zero (0). The 
resulting YES will cause the program to loop at step 542 until such time 
as the head signal again becomes one (1)--thereby indicating that the 
magnetic-ink line or area had moved out of engagement with the air gap. 
The one (1) head signal will cause the comparing function of step 542 to 
provide a NO; and, thereupon, during step 544, a one (1) will be loaded 
into scratch pad register 5. During step 546, the value in scratch pad 
register 2--which was set to zero (0) during step 526--will be 
incremented. Thereafter the program will start to re-execute the data 
collection routine by causing the comparing function of step 538 to again 
check the state of the head signal. 
In the immediately-preceding portion of this description, the development 
of a NO by the comparing function of step 538 indicated the sensing, by 
the air gap of magnetic head 208, of the leading edge of a magnetic-ink 
line or area; and the subsequent development of a NO by the ANDING 
function of step 542 indicated the sensing, by that air gap, of the 
trailing edge of that magnetic-ink line or area. The incrementing of the 
value in scratch pad register 2, during step 546, indicated the counting 
of one magnetic-ink line or area. Such a sensing and counting of a 
magnetic-ink line or area could occur during the first execution of the 
data collection routine in the checking of any given insert only if, at 
the starting of the three and nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms) time 
period of step 530, (a) the leading edge of that insert was immediately 
adjacent the air gap of magnetic head 208 and (b) that magnetic-ink line 
or area was immediately adjacent that leading edge. In most instances, the 
leading edge of an insert will not reach the air gap of magnetic head 208 
until after the data collection routine has been executed at least once; 
and in virtually all instances a magnetic-ink line or area will not reach 
that air gap until after the data collection routine has been executed 
several times. 
It is impossible to predict which step, of the data collection routine, the 
program will be executing at the instant the three and nine-tenths 
milliseconds (3.9 ms) time period of step 530 will expire; because that 
time period could terminate during the execution of any of the steps 538, 
540, 542, 544 and 546. However, the present invention will, unless the 
insert has been moved far enough to cause a magnetically-different area on 
that insert to move into engagement with the air gap of magnetic head 208, 
enable that program to promptly resume the execution of the step which was 
being executed when that time period terminated--if the count in scratch 
pad register 2 is less than two (2). For example, if the head signal was a 
one (1) and the program was looping at step 538 at the time the three and 
nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms) time period of step 530 terminated, and 
if the value in scratch pad register 2 was less than two (2), the TIMER 
connective 548 of FIG. 7 would enable step 550 to cause the timer in 3853 
to start a two and three-tenths millisecond (2.3 ms) time period. 
The immediately-succeeding ANDING function of step 552 would determine that 
scratch pad register 8 still had its "initialized" zero (0) in it; and the 
resulting YES from that step would enable the comparing function of step 
554 to determine whether the value in scratch pad register 2 was less than 
two (2). The resulting YES from the latter step would enable the comparing 
function of step 556 to determine whether the value in scratch pad 
register 2 was one (1) or zero (0). In the latter case, the program would 
branch to step 563; whereas in the former case, the value in scratch pad 
register 4 would be decremented by one (1). That value was set at two (2) 
during step 526 of FIG. 5; and hence the value in that scratch pad 
register would be decremented to one (1). The succeeding comparing 
function of step 560 would determine whether one (1) or no (0) 
magnetic-ink line or area had been sensed by the air gap of magnetic head 
208 in the leading portion of the border of a U.S. bill. In the latter 
case, scratch pad register 2 would, in step 563, as in step 526 of FIG. 5, 
be loaded with a zero (0); and scratch pad register 4 would in step 564, 
as in step 526 of FIG. 5, be loaded with a two (2); whereas in the former 
case, the program would branch to step 566. In either case, a further 
three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time period would be provided 
during step 566, and the value in register 1 would be decremented during 
step 568. Because one hundred and eighty (180) was loaded into that 
register during step 526 of FIG. 5, the decrementing of that value during 
step 568 would not make that value zero (0); and hence the ANDING function 
during step 570 would provide a NO. Thereupon, an enable interrupt would 
be provided during step 572 and the program would branch to step 536 in 
FIG. 5 via GO TO LINE COUNT connective 574 in FIG. 7 and the LINE COUNT 
connective 534 in FIG. 5. Because the value in scratch pad register 5 was 
equal to one (1) at the termination of the immediately-preceding three and 
nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms) time period, that value would enable the 
program to pass to step 538. The time required to execute steps 550, 552, 
554, 556, 558, 560, 563, 564, 566, 568, 570 and 572 of FIG. 7 and step 536 
of FIG. 5 is so short that the air gap of magnetic head 208 would in 
almost all instances be engaging essentially the same area of the insert 
which it was engaging at the termination of the immediately-preceding 
three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time period. As a result, the 
head signal would, in the assumed instance, continue to be a "1"; and the 
program would resume its looping at step 538. In this way, the present 
invention permits the termination of the three and nine-tenths millisecond 
(3.9 ms) time period to occur at step 538 during the data collection 
routine and yet obviates the development of specious change-of-state 
signals as the program re-enters that routine. 
If it is assumed that the head signal had been a zero (0) and the program 
had been looping at step 542, and if the value in scratch pad register 2 
had been less than two (2), the TIMER connective 548 of FIG. 7 would have 
enabled the program to execute the steps 550, 552, 554, 556, 558, 560, 
563, 564, 566, 568, 570 and 572 of FIG. 7 in the same manner in which it 
executed those steps when the three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) 
time period terminated while the program was looping at step 538. However, 
when that program branches to step 536 in FIG. 5 via GO TO LINE COUNT 
connective 574 in FIG. 7 and LINE COUNT connective 534 in FIG. 5, the 
value in scratch pad register 5 would be zero (0)--having previously been 
set to that value during the execution of step 540 prior to the initiation 
of the looping at step 542. Consequently the ANDING function of step 536 
directed the program to step 542. Because the time required to execute 
steps 550, 552, 554, 556, 558, 560, 563, 564, 566, 568, 570 and 572 of 
FIG. 7 and step 536 of FIG. 5 is very short, the air gap of magnetic head 
208 would in almost all instances be engaging essentially the same area of 
the insert which it was engaging at the termination of the 
immediately-preceding three and nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms) time 
period. As a result, the head signal would, in almost all instances, 
continue to be a "0"; and the program would resume its looping at step 
542. Here again, the present invention permits the termination of the 
three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time period to occur without 
any development of specious change-of-state signals as the program 
re-enters the data collection routine. 
The data collection routine is initiated prior to the time the leading edge 
of the insert can engage the air gap of magnetic head 208; and hence that 
routine will almost certainly loop at step 538 until the end of the first 
three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time period that is provided 
during step 530. If the scan path 230 of the insert has a magnetic-ink 
line or area thereon, some subsequent initiation of the data collection 
routine will cause step 538 to provide a NO. However, unless a NO is 
provided during step 542 of that data collection routine, a one (1) cannot 
be loaded into register 5 during that data collection routine. This is 
desirable; because the likelihood of electrical noise or some other 
transient causing a NO to be produced during step 538 and then causing a 
further NO to be produced within three and nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 
ms) during step 542 is far less than the likelihood of electrical noise or 
some other transient being able to cause a NO to be produced during step 
538 or during step 542 of any given execution of the data collection 
routine. As a result, the requirement that a NO must be produced by step 
538 and that a further NO be produced by the succeeding step 542 of the 
data collection routine during the same three and nine-tenths milliseconds 
(3.9 ms) constitutes a test, of the production, sequence and timing of 
oppositely-directed changes of state, which minimizes the risk that 
electrical noise or some other transient could produce signals which could 
cause the program to indicate that a magnetic-ink area or line had been 
sensed by the air gap of magnetic head 208. 
Steps 558, 560, 563 and 564 of FIG. 7 provide protection against the 
possibility of electrical noise or some other transient producing signals 
which might cause the program to indicate that two closely-adjacent 
magnetic-ink lines or areas were present on an insert. They do so by 
permitting scratch pad register 2 to accumulate a count of two (2) therein 
only if two actual or specious line-indicating signals are developed 
during the same three and nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms) time period or 
in contiguous three and nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms) time periods. 
Specifically, if, in any given three and nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms) 
time period, the data collection routine of FIG. 5 had, during step 546, 
effected the incrementing of the value in scratch pad register 2 from its 
initial zero (0) to one (1), the consequent directing, by step 556, of the 
program to step 558 would have effected the decrementing of the initial 
two (2) in scratch pad register 4 to one (1) during the latter step. 
However, because the value in the latter scratch pad register is one (1) 
rather than zero (0), the program branched from step 560 to step 566, and 
thereby avoided the re-setting of scratch pad register 2 to zero (0) which 
would have occurred if the program had been permitted to pass to step 563. 
The one (1) in scratch pad register 2 would enable the sensing of a 
magnetic-ink line or area, during the next-succeeding three and 
nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms) time period, to effect an incrementing 
of the value in scratch pad register 2 to two (2) in step 546; whereas the 
failure to sense a magnetic-ink line or area during that time period would 
leave the previously-set one (1) in that scratch pad register. In the 
former instance, the comparing function which is performed during step 554 
would direct the program to step 614, whereas in the latter instance, the 
program would again execute steps 556 and 558. Importantly, the second 
execution of step 558 would decrement the value in scratch pad register 4 
to zero (0); the hence the comparing function of step 560 would not be 
able to cause the program to pass to step 566 and thereby by-pass steps 
563 and 564. As a result, the one (1) in scratch pad register 2 would be 
erased by the zero-setting operation performed during step 563; and hence 
the air gap of magnetic head 208 would have to engage the respond to two 
further magnetic-ink lines or areas, the data collection routine would 
have to check the nature and sequence of the resulting head signals, and 
steps 554, 556, 558, 560, 563 and 564 would have to determine whether 
those further magnetic-ink lines or areas were sensed during the same 
three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time period or during 
contiguous three and nine-tenths (3.9 ms) time periods. By requiring two 
(2) actual or specious line-indicating signals to be developed within the 
same or in contiguous three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time 
periods, steps 554, 556, 558, 560, 563 and 564 additionally decrease the 
likelihood that electrical noise or other transients could effect the 
authenticating of an insert. 
The re-setting of the value in scratch pad register 4 to two (2), which 
occurred during step 564, will permit the next execution of steps 554, 
556, 558 and 560 to again cause the program to bypass steps 563 and 564, 
as by being directed to step 566. This is desirable because it will permit 
a value of one (1), which is accumulated in scratch pad register 2 during 
step 546 of a subsequent execution of the data collection routine, to be 
retained in that scratch pad register--as by the bypassing of steps 563 
and 564--so that one (1) could be incremented to two (2) during a 
subsequent execution of the data collection routine. 
The leading portion of the border of each authentic U.S. one dollar, two 
dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bill has at least two 
closely-adjacent, narrow, magnetic-ink lines which can be caused by the 
air gap of magnetic head 208 to determine whether the succession of 
time-related segments should be initiated. The width of each of those 
lines is narrow enough so both the leading edge and the trailing edge of 
either one of those lines can be moved past that air gap in considerably 
less than three and nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms). As a result, even 
if, during any execution of the data collection routine of FIG. 5, the 
trailing edge of one of those magnetic-ink lines provided the first logic 
state change, that data collection routine would have enough time during 
the rest of the three and nine-tenths milliseconds (3.9 ms) time period to 
loop around steps 538, 540, 542, 544 and 546 to detect both the leading 
edge and the trailing edge of the next-succeeding, closely-adjacent narrow 
magnetic-ink line. If, during an execution of the data collection routine 
of FIG. 5, the leading edge of one of those magnetic-ink lines provided 
the first logic state change, that data collection routine might have 
enough time during the rest of the three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 
ms) time period to loop around steps 538, 540, 542, 544 and 546 to detect 
both the leading edge and the trailing edge of that magnetic-ink line and 
also might have enough time to loop around steps 538, 540, 542, 544 and 
546 to detect both the leading edge and the trailing edge of the 
next-succeeding, closely-adjacent narrow magnetic-ink line. In this way, 
whether a data collection routine is initiated at a time when the air gap 
of magnetic head 208 is engaging a magnetic-ink line, is initiated at a 
time when that air gap is engaging an ink-free space, that data collection 
routine will be able to respond to change-of-state signals from both the 
leading edge and the trailing edge of any magnetic-ink line which moved 
into engagement with, and then out of engagement with, that magnetic head 
during the three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time period of that 
data collection routine. 
Establishment of Time-Related Segments 
When the value in scratch pad register 2 exceeds one (1)--and thereby 
indicates that two magnetic-ink lines or areas were sensed during the same 
three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time period or during 
contiguous three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time periods--the 
comparing function provided during step 554 will cause the program to 
branch to step 614. During the latter step, a finite value other than zero 
(0) will be loaded into scratch pad register 8. The setting of the timer 
of 3853 to provide a two and three-tenths millisecond (2.3 ms) time 
period--which occurred during each prior execution of step 550--was not 
significant; because that timer was subsequently set, during step 566, to 
resume the providing of three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time 
periods. However, the setting of the timer of 3853 to provide a two and 
three-tenths millisecond (2.3 ms) time period will--whenever the value in 
scratch pad register 2 is at least two (2)--be significant; because the 
two and three-tenths millisecond (2.3 ms) time periods are used to define 
the areas on an insert where the head signals should be used to produce 
data that is collected and stored. More specifically, the portion of the 
scan path 230--which remains to be scanned after the data collection 
routine of FIG. 5 and steps 550, 552, 554, 556, 558, 560, 566, 568, 570 
and 572 of FIG. 7 have indicated that two (2) closely-spaced magnetic-ink 
lines or areas were sensed on the insert--will be considered as being 
subdivided into one hundred and eighty-five (185) time-related segments, 
each of which has a length of only twenty-three thousandths (0.023) of an 
inch. Those segments enable the bill-handling device to collect and store 
data from those portions of the scan path 230 which contain important and 
significant authenticity-determining and denomination-identifying 
information without having to collect and store data from portions of that 
scan path which do not contain important and significant 
authenticity-determining and denomination-identifying information. For 
example, those segments enable the bill-handling device to collect and 
store data from the portion of scan path 230 immediately ahead of, in, and 
immediately behind the area where the black ink seal is located, and which 
is defined by segments thirty through eighty (30-80) on authentic U.S. 
bills, from the portion of that scan path immediately ahead of, in, and 
immediately behind the portrait border and the succeeding one half of the 
grid-like portrait background, and which starts at segment eighty-six (86) 
on authentic U.S. bills, and from the portion of that scan path 
immediately ahead of, in, and immediately behind the area where the green 
seal is located, and which is defined by segments one hundred and 
thirty-five through one hundred and eighty-five (135-185) on authentic 
U.S. bills. 
Authentic U.S. bills have magnetic ink lines, such as line 213 of FIGS. 2 
and 3, which enclose, but are spaced outwardly of, the border 215. 
Although the line 213 will be sensed by the air gap of magnetic head 208, 
and although the data collection routine of FIG. 5 will increment scratch 
pad register 2 to note the sensing of that line, the resulting one (1) in 
that scratch pad register will be erased during a subsequent execution of 
steps 558, 560 and 563 of FIG. 7. Specifically, the line 213 is spaced so 
far outwardly of the border 215 that more than three and nine-tenths 
millisecond (3.9 ms) will lapse between the sensing of the trailing edge 
of that line and the sensing of any line in the border 215. Consequently, 
in the three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time period which 
immediately followed the three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time 
period wherein the value in scratch pad register 2 was incremented to 
reflect the sensing of line 213, the data collection routine would not 
again increment that value; and hence the comparing function of step 554 
would determine that less than two (2) counts were in that scratch pad 
register and would branch the program to step 556. During the subsequent 
execution of step 563, the one (1) in scratch pad register 2 would be 
erased. Consequently, the initiation of the first of the one hundred an 
eighty-five (185) time-related segments will not begin until the leading 
portion of the border 215 engages the air gap of magnetic head 208. 
Collection and Storage of Data 
During the rest of the two and three-tenths millisecond (2.3 ms) time 
period initiated in step 550, successive comparisons will be made between 
the value in scratch pad register 0 and the numbers thirty (30), eighty 
(80), eighty-six (86), eighty-seven (87), one hundred and thirty-five 
(135), and one hundred and eighty-five (185), and the data collection 
routine of FIG. 5 will be re-executed. At the end of that two and 
three-tenths millisecond (2.3 ms) time period, the program will branch to 
step 550 in FIG. 7 via TIMER connective 548; and a further interrupt 
service routine will be initiated. 
The scratch pad register 0 is intended to accumulate a 
progressively-incremented number which will represent the number of the 
time-related segment which is, at any given instant, being sensed by the 
air gap of magnetic head 208. Because a finite time will be required to 
sense, and respond to, two (2) magnetic-ink lines in the leading portion 
of the border 215 of a U.S. bill, and because an average finite time for 
sensing and responding to such lines in U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five 
dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills is at least four and six-tenths 
milliseconds (4.6 ms), the number two (2) was loaded into scratch pad 
register 0 during step 526. Consequently, the initial comparisons which 
are made between the value in that scratch pad register and the numbers 
thirty (30), eighty (80), eighty-six (86), eighty-seven (87), one hundred 
and thirty-five (135), and one hundred and eighty-five (185) will produce 
a NO answer at each of steps 616, 618, 620, 622, 624 and 626 of FIG. 7. 
The consequent directing of the program to step 628 will enable the ANDING 
function of that step to determine that the zero (0), which was loaded 
into scratch pad register 7 during step 526 of FIG. 5, is the current 
value in that scratch pad register. Thereupon, the program will branch, 
via CLEAR connective 630 of FIG. 7 and CLEAR connective 632 of FIG. 10, to 
step 634. The consequent clearing of scratch pad register 2 will condition 
the data collection routine to sense and collect data corresponding to 
further magnetic-ink lines or areas that will engage the air gap of 
magnetic head 208. 
During step 636, the value in scratch pad register 0 will be incremented to 
indicate the movement of the insert through a distance corresponding to 
one time-related segment. During step 638, an interrupt enable signal will 
be developed; and then the program will branch via LINE COUNT connective 
640 in FIG. 10 and LINE COUNT connective 534 in FIG. 5 to step 536. 
Thereupon, the data collection routine will be reexecuted; and, during 
that routine, the air gap of magnetic head 208 will sense for further 
magnetic-ink lines or areas. At the end of the two and three-tenths 
millisecond (2.3 ms) time period set in the previous execution of step 550 
of FIG. 7, TIMER connective 548 will again direct the program to step 550; 
and the timer in 3853 will again be set during that step to develop a two 
and three-tenths millisecond (2.3 ms) time period. However, because the 
value in scratch pad register 8 was incremented during the execution of 
step 614 of FIG. 7, the ANDING function in step 552 will branch the 
program to step 616. The value in scratch pad register 0 will still be 
substantially less than thirty (30); and hence each of the comparing 
functions during steps 616, 618, 620, 622, 624 and 626 will provide a NO. 
As a result, the ANDING function of step 628 will again cause the program 
to branch to step 634 of FIG. 10 via the CLEAR connectives 630 and 632, 
respectively, in FIGS. 7 and 10. Any value that was stored in scratch pad 
register 2 during the data collection routine will be erased by the 
re-setting of that scratch pad register during step 634. The value in 
scratch pad register 0 will again be incremented during step 636; and the 
enable interrupt will again be provided during step 638. Steps 550, 552, 
616, 618, 620, 622, 624, 626 and 628 of FIG. 7 and steps 634, 636 and 638 
of FIG. 10 constitute an interrupt service routine which will be executed, 
at least in part, many times during the operation of the bill-handling 
device. During each execution of that routine, the timer in 3853 will 
again be set to develop a two and three-tenths millisecond (2.3 ms) time 
period, and the value in scratch pad register 0 will be compared with the 
numbers thirty (30), eighty (80), eighty-six (86), eighty-seven (87), one 
hundred and thirty-five (135) and one hundred and eighty-five (185). 
During the ensuing execution of steps 634, 636 and 638 of FIG. 10, scratch 
pad register 2 will be cleared to erase any data which was stored therein 
during the data collection routine, the value in scratch pad register 0 
will be augmented to enable that value to correspond to the instantaneous 
position of the scan path 230 relative to the air gap of magnetic head 
208, and the enable interrupt will again be provided. 
Sensing Black Seal Area 
The program will repeatedly loop through the data collection and interrupt 
select routines until the value in scratch pad register 0 has been 
incremented to thirty (30); and, thereupon, during the execution of the 
next-succeeding interrupt select routine, the comparing function which is 
provided during step 616 will provide a YES. The program will then branch, 
via SET connective 646 of FIG. 7 and SET connective 648 of FIG. 10, to 
step 650. A one (1) will be loaded into scratch pad register 7 during step 
650, scratch pad register 0 will again be incremented during step 636, the 
enable interrupt will be provided during step 638, and then the data 
collection routine will be reinitiated. Any magnetic-ink lines or areas 
which are sensed by the air gap of magnetic head 208 during that routine 
will be noted; and a corresponding incrementing will be made in the value 
in scratch pad register 2 during step 546. Because the value in scratch 
pad register 0 will be thirty-one (31), the comparing function provided by 
step 616 will permit the program to pass to step 628. Because a one (1) 
was loaded into scratch pad register 7 during step 650 of FIG. 10, the 
ANDING function in step 628 of the interrupt service routine will provide 
a NO. Thereupon, the program will branch, via SKIP connective 642 of FIG. 
7 and SKIP connective 644 of FIG. 10, to step 636; and then the value in 
scratch pad register 0 will again be incremented during step 636 and the 
enable interrupt will be provided during step 638. It is important to note 
that the SKIP connectives 642 and 644, respectively, of FIGS. 7 and 10 
enable the program to bypass step 634 of FIG. 10. As a result, any data 
that was stored in scratch pad register 2 during the preceding two and 
three-tenths milliseconds (2.3 ms) time period will not be erased and, 
instead, will remain in that scratch pad register. During the looping of 
the program through the data collection and interrupt service routines 
during the time period corresponding to time-related segments thirty 
through eighty (30- 80), any magnetic-ink lines or areas along the 
corresponding portion of scan path 230 will be engaged and sensed; and 
corresponding incrementing of the data in scratch pad register 2 will 
occur during step 546 of FIG. 5. 
During the interrupt service routine which occurs after the value in 
scratch pad register 0 has been incremented to eighty (80), the comparing 
function provided during step 618 of FIG. 7 will provided a YES. 
Thereupon, the program will branch, via RESET connective 652 of FIG. 7 and 
RESET connective 654 of FIG. 10, to step 656. During that step, any data 
that had been accumulated in scratch pad register 2, throughout the 
executions of the data collection routine in the time period corresponding 
to time-related segments thirty through eighty (30-80), will be 
transferred to scratch pad register 40--which was selected at an earlier 
time by the ISAR during step 528 of FIG. 5. Also, the ISAR will be caused 
to address scratch pad register 41. Because the time-related segments 
thirty through eighty (30-80) define the portion of scan path 230 which is 
immediately ahead of, in, and immediately behind the black seal area on a 
U.S. bill, and because that seal is engraved with non-magnetic ink, no 
data should be stored in scratch pad register 2, and hence no data should 
be transferred to scratch pad register 40. However, if any data, due to 
electrical noise or other transient, had been accumulated in scratch pad 
register 2, that data would be transferred to and stored in scratch pad 
register 40. If the insert was a photocopy, of a U.S. bill, which had been 
made by a copying machine that uses magnetic particles, the seal on that 
copy would cause magnetic head 208 to develop a large number of signals 
that would be noted by the incrementing of the value in scratch pad 
register 2 during executions of step 546 in FIG. 5. The resulting data in 
that scratch pad register would be transferred to and stored in scratch 
pad register 40 during step 656 of FIG. 10. All of this means that 
whatever data was developed as a result of the fifty-one (51) loopings of 
the program through the data collection and interrupt service routines, as 
the portion of scan path 230 which corresponds to time-related segments 
thirty through eighty (30-80) was engaging and passing the air gap of 
magnetic head 208, will be initially stored in scratch pad register 2 and 
then transferred to and stored within scratch pad register 40. 
After the data, if any, in scratch pad register 2 is transferred to scratch 
pad register 40 during step 656, a zero (0) will be loaded into scratch 
pad register 7 during step 658; and scratch pad register 2 will be cleared 
during step 634. The data in scratch pad register 0 will be incremented to 
eighty-one (81) during step 636, and the enable interrupt will be provided 
during step 638. Thereafter, a further data collection routine and a 
further interrupt service routine will be initiated. During the latter 
routine, the comparing function of step 618 will respond to the eighty-one 
(81) in scratch pad register 0 to provide a NO; and hence the program will 
pass to step 628. Because scratch pad register 7 was reset to zero (0) 
during step 658, the ANDING function of step 628 will cause the program to 
branch to step 634 in FIG. 10--with consequent clearing of scratch pad 
register 2, a further incrementing of scratch pad register 0, the 
provision of the enable interrupt, and the initiation of a further data 
collective and interrupt service routine. During the looping of the 
program through the data collection and interrupt service routines, in the 
time period corresponding to time-related segments eighty-one through 
eighty-five (81-85), any data that is accumulated in scratch pad register 
2 will be erased during each execution of step 634, and scratch pad 
register 2 will be incremented during each execution of step 636. The 
erasing of data obtained during those loopings is desirable, because the 
portion of scan path 230 which corresponds to time-related segments 
eighty-one through eighty-five (81-85) is located between the black seal 
and the leading portion of the portrait border on each U.S. bill; and that 
portion of that scan path is devoid of significant information. 
Sensing Portrait Border Lines 
During the interrupt service routine which occurs after the value in 
scratch pad register 0 has been incremented to eighty-six (86), the 
comparing function provided during step 620 of FIG. 7 will provide a YES. 
Thereupon, the program will branch, via PORTRAIT BORDER connective 660 of 
FIG. 7 and the identically-named connective 662 of FIG. 11, to step 664. 
The timer in the 3853 will be stopped during step 664, but motor 562 will 
continue to move the insert inwardly of the transport 30. Scratch pad 
register 4 will be loaded with a count of three (3) during step 666, and 
scratch pad registers 2, 5 and 6 will be cleared--by being set to zero 
(0)--during step 668. During step 670 an ANDING function will determine 
whether the head signal is zero (0)--thereby indicating that a 
magnetic-ink line or area had been moved into register with the air gap of 
magnetic head 208. If a NO is produced by that ANDING function, as will 
surely be the case because time-related segment eighty-six (86) 
corresponds to the ink-free areas immediately ahead of the portrait 
borders on U.S. bills, the program will loop at step 670 until a 
magnetic-ink line or area is moved into engagement with the air gap of 
magnetic head 208 to produce a logic "0" head signal. That magnetic-ink 
line or area will almost certainly be the left hand-most arcuate line at 
the left-hand side of the portrait border, and will be referred to 
hereinafter as the first portrait border line. Scratch pad register 5 will 
be incremented during step 672; and then a comparing function will be 
provided during step 674 to determine whether the head signal is a logic 
"1"--thereby indicating that the magnetic-ink line or area which 
constitutes the first portrait border line has been moved out of 
engagement with the air gap of magnetic head 208. If that comparing 
function provides a NO, as it will surely do because a finite time is 
required to move a magnetic-ink line or area out of engagement with that 
air gap, the program will loop at steps 672 and 674 until the head signal 
becomes a logic "1". Significantly, the scratch pad register 5 will be 
incremented during each of those loopings; and the number of those 
loopings will correspond to the width of the first portrait border line 
that was being sensed during those loopings. Specifically, because each 
looping requires twenty-two microseconds (22 .mu.s), the number of 
loopings represents a definite length of time; and, because the insert is 
being moved at a fixed speed, the number of loopings is a true measure of 
the width of that first portrait border line. 
When the comparing function of step 674 provides a YES--thereby indicating 
that the air gap of magnetic head 208 is in register with the space behind 
the first portrait border line, scratch pad register 5 will be incremented 
during step 676, and a comparing function will be provided during step 678 
to determine whether the head signal is a logic "0"--thereby indicating 
that a further magnetic-ink line or area has been moved into engagement 
with that air gap. That magnetic-ink line or area would almost certainly 
be the second left-hand-most arcuate line at the left hand side of the 
portrait border on a U.S. one dollar, two dollar or twenty dollar bill or 
the arcuate edge of the left hand portion of the grid-like portrait 
background on U.S. five dollar and ten dollar bills. That line will be 
referred to hereinafter as the second portrait border line. If that 
comparing function provides a NO, as it will surely do because a finite 
time is required to move the space between the first and second portrait 
border lines out of engagement with the air gap of magnetic head 208, the 
program will loop at steps 676 and 678 until the head signal becomes a 
logic "0". Significantly, the scratch pad register 5 will be incremented 
during each of those loopings; and the number of those loopings will 
correspond to the width of the space immediately behind the first portrait 
border line. 
The incrementings of the value in scratch pad register 5, which occur 
during the loopings through steps 676 and 678, will add to the value which 
was stored in that scratch pad register during the loopings through steps 
672 and 674. Consequently, at the time the comparing function of step 678 
provides a YES, the total count in scratch pad register 5 will represent 
the distance between the leading edge of the first and second portrait 
border lines. Also at that time, step 680 will cause the data in scratch 
pad register 5 to be transferred to scratch pad register 41--which is 
currently being addressed by the ISAR. In addition, step 680 will effect a 
further incrementing of ISAR so it will direct further data to scratch pad 
register 42. 
Scratch pad register 5 will be cleared during step 682; and the value in 
scratch pad register 4 will be decremented from three (3) to two (2) 
during step 684. A comparing function in step 686 will compare the value 
in scratch pad register 4 with zero (0); and, at this time, will provide a 
NO. Thereupon, the program will branch back to step 672--with a consequent 
incrementing of the zero (0) in the scratch pad register 5 to one (1). At 
this time, the second portrait border line will still be in engagement 
with the air gap of the magnetic head 208, and hence the comparing 
function of step 674 will provide a NO. The program will loop through 
steps 672 and 674 until the head signal becomes a one (1)--thereby 
indicating that the second portrait border line has been moved out of 
engagement with the air gap, and that the air gap is sensing the space 
between that second portrait border line and the third portrait border 
line--which will be the arcuate edge of the left-hand portion of the 
grid-like portrait background on U.S. one dollar, two dollar, and twenty 
dollar bills and which will be the lefthand-most straight vertical line in 
the left-hand portion of the portrait background on U.S. five dollar and 
ten dollar bills. That line will be referred to hereinafter as the third 
portrait border line. During each looping of the program through steps 672 
and 674, the scratch pad register 5 will be incremented; and hence, when 
the comparing function of step 674 provides a YES, the count in scratch 
pad register 5 will be a measure of the width of the second portrait 
border line. 
During step 676, the value in scratch pad register 5 will be incremented, 
and the ANDING function of step 678 will determine whether the head signal 
is a logic "0". Because a finite time is required for the space between 
the second and third portrait border lines to be moved out of engagement 
with the air gap of magnetic head 208, the head signal will continue to be 
1. Consequently, the program will loop at steps 676 and 678 until the 
leading edge of the third portrait border line is moved into engagement 
with the air gap--thereby causing the head signal to become a logic "0". 
At this time, the count in scratch pad register 5 will represent the total 
number of loopings at steps 672 and 674 plus the total number of loopings 
at steps 676 and 678, and hence will represent the total distance between 
the leading edges of the second and third portrait border lines. 
When the comparing function of step 678 provides a YES, the data in scratch 
pad register 5 will be transferred to scratch pad register 42 during step 
680. Also, the ISAR will be caused to address further data to scratch pad 
register 43. During step 682, scratch pad register 5 will again be 
cleared; and during step 684 the two (2) in scratch pad register 4 will be 
decremented to a one (1). The comparing function of step 686 will compare 
the one (1) in scratch pad register 4 with zero (0), and hence will 
provide a further NO--thereby causing the program to branch back to step 
672. 
The ensuing execution of steps 672,674,676 and 678 will cause scratch pad 
register 5 to accumulate the number of loopings at step 674 plus the 
number of loopings at step 678, will cause the total number of those 
loopings to be transferred to scratch pad register 43, and will cause ISAR 
to address all further data to scratch pad register 44. The number of 
loopings at steps 672 and 674 will be a measure of the width of the third 
portrait border line, and the number of loopings at steps 676 and 678 will 
be a measure of the width of the space which succeeds that line. 
After step 680 has caused the data in scratch pad register 5 to be 
transferred to scratch pad register 43 and has caused ISAR to be 
incremented to address all further data to scratch pad register 44, 
scratch pad register 5 will be cleared in step 682, and scratch pad 
register 4 will be decremented to zero (0) during step 684. Consequently, 
the ANDING function of step 686 will provide a YES; and the program will 
branch through RET connective 688 of FIG. 11 and RET connective 690 of 
FIG. 12 to step 692. Thereupon, the timer in 3853 will be started again; 
and it will be caused to provide a further two and three-tenths 
millisecond (2.3 ms) time period. RES connective 694 in FIG. 12 and RES 
connective 696 in FIG. 10 will cause zero (0) to be loaded into scratch 
pad register 7 during step 658. Scratch pad register 2 will be cleared 
during step 634, scratch pad register 0 will be incremented during step 
636, and the enable interrupt will be provided during step 638. During the 
time period between steps 664 and 692--when the timer in 3853 was stopped 
and then was re-started--the first second and third portrait border lines 
and the spaces behind those lines were moved past the air gap of magnetic 
head 208. Also, the length of that first line and its succeeding space was 
measured and a corresponding value was stored in scratch pad register 41, 
the length of that second line and its succeeding space was measured and a 
corresponding value was stored in scratch pad register 42, and the length 
of that third line and its succeeding space was measured and a 
corresponding value was stored in scratch pad register 43. Because the 
sensing of the three portrait border lines and the immediately-succeeding 
spaces may, and usually will, require more than two and three-tenths 
milliseconds (2.3 ms), the timer of 3853 was stopped during step 664. 
Consequently, when the timer was re-started in step 692, the count in 
scratch pad register 2 was only eighty-seven (87). 
Sensing Grid Lines 
The LINE COUNT connectives 640 and 534, respectively, in FIGS. 10 and 5 
will cause the program to branch to step 536, and will thereby cause the 
data collection routine of FIG. 5 to be re-initiated. The data collection 
routine will continue through the existing two and three-tenths 
milliseconds (2.3 ms) time period; and then the interrupt will cause the 
program to branch to step 550 in FIG. 7 to initiate the interrupt service 
routine of FIG. 7. During the latter routine, step 622 will provide a YES 
as a result of a comparison between the count in scratch pad register 0 
and the eighty-seven (87). Thereupon, FREQ connectives 698 and 700, 
respectively, of FIGS. 7 and 12 will cause the timer in 3853 to be stopped 
during step 702. Scratch pad register 3 will have sixteen (16) stored 
therein and scratch pad register 4 will have four (4) stored therein 
during step 704; and scratch pad registers 2, 5 and 6 will be cleared 
during step 706. An ANDING function during step 708 will determine whether 
the head signal is a logic "0" and, hence will determine whether a 
magnetic-ink line or area has moved into register with the air gap of the 
magnetic head 208. Steps 708, 710, 712, 714 and 716 of FIG. 12 perform a 
function that is essentially identical to the function which is performed 
by steps 670, 672, 674, 676 and 678 of FIG. 11, namely, sensing the width 
of a magnetic-ink line or area and the width of the immediately-succeeding 
space. However, steps 708, 710, 712, 714 and 716 are intended to, and 
will, measure the widths of straight vertical lines in the left-hand 
portion of the portrait background on U.S. bills and the widths of the 
immediately-succeeding spaces, rather than measure the widths of the 
portrait border lines and the widths of the immediately-succeeding spaces. 
Further, steps 708, 710, 712, 714 and 716 are intended to, and will, 
increment the count in scratch pad register 2 rather than increment the 
count in scratch pad register 5. 
Each time the comparing function of step 716 provides a YES--and thereby 
indicates that the number of loopings at step 712 have been counted by 
incrementing the value in scratch pad register 2 and also that the number 
of loopings at step 716 have been counted by additionally incrementing the 
value in that scratch pad register, a comparison will be made during step 
718 between the count in scratch pad register 2 and the numbers fifteen 
(15) and sixty (60). Whenever the comparison of step 718 determines that 
the count in scratch pad register 2 is both greater than fifteen (15) and 
less than sixty (60)--as it will be if the line that was sensed was a 
vertical grid line on a U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten 
dollar or twenty dollar bill, that comparison will provide a YES. If at 
the time the comparison of step 718 is made, the number of counts in 
scratch pad register 2 is not greater than fifteen (15), the sum of the 
widths of the sensed magnetic-ink line and of the immediately-succeeding 
space was less than the sum of the widths of a vertical grid line and the 
immediately-succeeding space in the portrait background of a U.S. one 
dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill. If, at 
that time the comparison of step 718 is made, the number of counts in 
scratch pad register 2 is not less than sixty (60), the sum of the widths 
of the sensed magnetic-ink line and of the immediately-succeeding space 
was greater than the sum of the widths of a vertical grid line and the 
immediately-succeeding space in the portrait background of a U.S. one 
dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill. 
A YES from the comparison of step 718 will cause the count on scratch pad 
register 2 to be transferred to scratch pad registers 5 and 6 during step 
720; will cause scratch pad register 2 to be cleared during step 722, and 
will cause the count in scratch pad register 3 to be decremented from 
sixteen (16) to fifteen (15) during step 724. Scratch pad registers 5 and 
6 are used to provide sufficient storage capacity to accommodate the sum 
of the sixteen (16) totals that will be temporarily stored in scratch pad 
register 2 prior to the time the count of sixteen (16) in scratch pad 
register 3 is decremented to zero (0). 
An ANDING function will be performed in step 726 to determine whether the 
count in scratch pad register 3 is zero (0); and the resulting NO will 
cause the program to branch to steps 710, 712, 714 and 716. During those 
steps, the width of a further vertical grid line and the width of the 
immediately-succeeding space will be measured, and the resulting count 
will be stored in scratch pad register 2. A YES from the ANDING function 
of step 716 will cause a comparison to be made, during step 718, between 
that count and the numbers fifteen (15) and sixty (60). If it is assumed 
that this second comparison during step 718 provides a YES, and if it 
further is assumed that each of the next fourteen (14) comparisons of step 
718 provide a YES, the initial sixteen (16) count in scratch pad register 
3 will be decremented to zero (0), and the counts that were successively 
stored in scratch pad register 2 will be added to the count stored in 
scratch pad registers 5 and 6. Consequently, at the end of the sixteenth 
execution of step 720, the total count in scratch pad registers 5 and 6 
will represent the widths of sixteen (16) vertical grid lines plus the 
widths of the sixteen (16) immediately-succeeding spaces. At the end of 
that step, scratch pad register 2 will be cleared, the count in scratch 
pad register 3 will be decremented to zero (0), and the ANDING function of 
step 726 will provide a YES. During step 728, the total count stored in 
scratch pad registers 5 and 6 will be divided by sixteen (16); and, during 
step 730, the resulting quotient will be transferred to scratch pad 
register 44. Also during step 730, the ISAR will be incremented to address 
further data to scratch pad register 45. During the sixteen (16) 
executions of the routine which includes steps 710, 712, 714, 716, 718, 
720, 722, 724, 726, 728 and 730 of FIG. 12, the distances between 
corresponding portions of sixteen (16) succeeding magnetic-ink lines or 
areas--in the time-related segments that started with segment eighty-seven 
(87)--were measured, summed and averaged, and then a count corresponding 
to that average was stored in scratch pad registers 5 and 6. That average 
will be in the range of twenty-nine through thirty-six (29-36) if the 
insert is an authentic U.S. one dollar bill that is not badly worn, that 
average will be in the range of forty-four through forty-seven (44-47) if 
the insert is an authentic U.S. five dollar bill that is not badly worn, 
and that average will be in the range of forty through forty-two (40-42) 
if the insert is an authentic U.S. two dollar or ten dollar or twenty 
dollar bill that is not badly worn. 
Sensing Portrait And Rest of Portrait Background 
At the conclusion of step 730 of FIG. 12, a further two and three-tenths 
milliseconds (2.3 ms) time period will be initiated during step 692; and 
then the RES connectives 694 and 696, respectively, of FIGS. 12 and 10 
will branch the program to step 658. During the latter step, a zero (0) 
will be loaded into scratch pad register 7. During step 634 the scratch 
pad register 2 will be cleared, during step 636 the value in scratch pad 
register 0 will be incremented, and during step 638 the enable interrupt 
will be provided. Thereafter, the LINE COUNT connectives 640 and 534, 
respectively, of FIGS. 10 and 5 and step 536 will branch the program to 
the data collection routine. During the execution of that routine, any 
magnetic-ink line or area that is sensed by the air gap of magnetic head 
208 will cause scratch pad register 2 to be incremented; and that routine 
will continue until the end of the existing two and three-tenths 
millisecond (2.3 ms) time period. During the ensuing execution of the 
interrupt service routine of FIG. 7, the number in scratch pad register 0 
will be greater than eighty-seven (87) but will be smaller than one 
hundred and thirty-five (135); and hence the program will pass to step 
628. The YES, that will be provided by the ANDING function of that step, 
will cause CLEAR connectives 630 and 632, respectively, of FIGS. 7 and 10 
to branch the program to step 634. The clearing of scratch pad register 2, 
during the latter step, will erase any count corresponding to the 
magnetic-ink line that was noted during the last execution of the data 
collection routine. Scratch pad register 0 will be incremented during step 
636, and the enable interrupt will be provided during step 638. Thereupon 
LINE COUNT connectives 640 and 534, respectively, of FIGS. 10 and 5 and 
step 536 will initiate a further data collection routine. 
During that further data collection routine, and during all further data 
collection routines which are initiated prior to time-related segment one 
hundred and thirty-five (135), any magnetic-ink line or area which is 
sensed by the air gap of magnetic head 208 will have a corresponding count 
stored in scratch pad register 2 during step 546. However, that count will 
be erased when that scratch pad register is cleared during step 634 of 
FIG. 10. The overall result is that the bill-handling device will obtain 
data corresponding to each magnetic-ink line or area which the air gap of 
magnetic head 208 engages in the portrait and in the right-hand portrait 
background of a U.S. bill will momentarily store that data, but will 
promptly erase that data. 
Sensing Green Seal Area 
In the data collection routine which is executed during time-related 
segment one hundred and thirty-five (135), any data corresponding to any 
magnetic-ink line or area which the air gap of magnetic head 208 engages 
will cause scratch pad register 2 to be incremented. In the ensuing 
interrupt service routine of FIG. 7, the comparing function of step 624 
will provide a YES, because the number in scratch pad register 0 will be 
one hundred and thirty-five (135). Consequently, SET connectives 740 and 
648, respectively, of FIGS. 7 and 10 will branch the program to step 650; 
and, during that step, one (1) will be loaded into scratch pad register 7. 
Thereafter, scratch pad register 0 will be incremented during step 636, 
the enable interrupt will be provided during step 638, and LINE COUNT 
connectives 640 and 534, respectively, of FIGS. 10 and 5 and step 536 will 
initiate a further data collection routine. 
During that further data collection routine, and also during all subsequent 
data collection routines which are executed prior to time-related segment 
one hundred and eighty-five (185), any data corresponding to any 
magnetic-ink line or area which the air gap of magnetic head 208 engages 
will increment the value in scratch pad register 2 during step 546. That 
value will not be erased, because the ANDING function of step 628 in FIG. 
7 will provide a NO--in view of the one (1) which was loaded into scratch 
pad register 7 during step 650 of FIG. 10. Consequently, the program will 
branch via SKIP connectives 642 and 644, respectively, of FIGS. 7 and 10, 
to step 636 of FIG. 7--thereby by-passing the clearing of scratch pad 
register 2 which is provided by step 634. 
Because the air gap of magnetic head 208 will engage the magnetic-ink lines 
of the denomination-identifying numerals, adjacent and in the green seal, 
during some of the time-related segments one hundred and thirty-five 
through one hundred and eighty-five (135-185), the value stored in scratch 
pad register 2 will represent the number of such lines in that area. The 
total number of such lines will be less than the storage capacity of 
scratch pad register 2 and hence an overflow scratch pad register is not 
required. During the interrupt service routine which follows the data 
collection routine that was initiated during segment one hundred and 
eighty-five (185), the comparing function of step 626 will provide a YES. 
Thereupon, STOP connectives 742 and 744, respectively, of FIGS. 7 and 13 
will branch the program to step 746; and, during that step, the data in 
scratch pad register 2 will be transferred to scratch pad register 45. 
Also during that step, the ISAR will be incremented to cause it to direct 
further data to scratch pad register 46. CKBD connectives 748 and 750, 
respectively, of FIGS. 13 and 14 will branch the program to step 752 of 
FIG. 14. The count that was transferred to scratch pad register 45 
represents the number of magnetic-ink lines or areas which the air gap of 
magnetic head 208 engaged while an area, corresponding to the green seal 
area on a U.S. bill, was being moved past that air gap. If the insert had 
been an authentic U.S. bill, the resulting count could be used to help 
authenticate U.S. one dollar and five dollar bills, and could be used to 
help authenticate two dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills while 
also helping distinguish twenty dollar bills from two dollar and ten 
dollar bills. 
The lapse of time between the stopping of timer 3853 during step 664 of 
FIG. 11 and the subsequent re-starting of that timer during step 692 of 
FIG. 12 is closely, but not precisely, predictable; because the widths of, 
and spacings between, the first four (4) portrait border lines are not the 
same on authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and 
twenty dollar bills. Similarly, the lapse of time between the stopping of 
timer 3853 during step 702 of FIG. 12 and the subsequent re-starting of 
that timer during step 692 of FIG. 12 is closely, but not precisely, 
predictable; because the widths of, and spacings between, the vertical 
portrait background lines are not the same on authentic U.S. one dollar, 
two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills. However, the 
bill-handling device of the present invention compensates for any 
variation in the length of the time period between the stopping and 
re-starting of timer 3853 during steps 664 and 692 by having the 
collecting and storing of data from the vertical portrait background lines 
begin as soon as the collecting and storing of data from the first four 
(4) portrait border lines is completed. Also, that bill-handling device 
compensates for any such variation by sensing those vertical portrait 
background lines along a scan line where the number of those lines is 
considerably larger than sixteen (16). The bill-handling device 
compensates for any variation in the length of the time period between the 
stopping and re-starting of timer 3853 during steps 702 and 692 by having 
the count in scratch pad register 0 reach the number one hundred and 
thirty-five (135) well prior to the time the first of the 
denomination-defining magnetic-ink lines of the green seal area could move 
into engagement with the air gap of magnetic head 208. The overall result 
is that the bill handling device will have ample time and opportunity to 
scan, and to collect and store data from, each significant area on each 
inserted authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar 
and twenty dollar bill. 
Unacceptable Measurements of Grid Lines 
If, during any execution of the routine which includes steps 710, 712, 714 
and 716 of FIG. 12, the count that was accumulated in scratch pad register 
2 was fifteen (15) or less, that count would indicate (a) that the insert 
was not an authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar 
or twenty dollar bill, or (b) that part of one of the vertical grid lines 
on such a bill had been worn away. If during any execution of the routine 
which includes steps 710, 712, 714 and 716 of FIG. 12, the count that was 
accumulated in scratch pad register 2 was sixty (60) or more, that count 
would indicate (a) that the insert was not an authentic U.S. one dollar, 
two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill or (b) that some 
magnetic particles had been applied to the left-hand one-half of the 
portrait background on such a bill. In either event, the comparing 
function of step 718 would provide a NO; and the count in scratch pad 
register 4 would be decremented during step 732 to three (3). The ANDING 
function of step 734 would determine that the count in scratch pad 
register 4 was not zero (0), and hence would provide a NO. Thereupon, 
scratch pad register 2 would be cleared during step 736, and the program 
would branch back to step 710. 
If, during succeeding executions of the routine which includes steps 710, 
712, 714 and 716, the comparison of step 718 provided three (3) additional 
NO responses, the count in scratch pad register would be decremented to 
zero (0). Thereupon, the ANDING function of step 734 would provide a YES; 
and REJECT connectives 738 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 12 and 8 would 
cause the program to execute the reject routine. 
During that routine, "0.00" will appear on the seven-segment units 458, 
460, and 462 of display 454; and motor 562 will operate in the reverse 
direction until it returns the insert to the platform 32 on lower platen 
40. Thereafter, START connectives 596 and 504, respectively, of FIGS. 8 
and 5, step 506 and step 508 of FIG. 5 will branch the program to step 
510; and that program will loop at the latter step until switch 146 is 
again closed. In this way, the bill-handling device will respond to four 
or more unacceptable counts of lines, which were sensed during 
time-related segments--after segment eighty-seven (87) and before segment 
one hundred and thirty-five (135)--to indicate that the insert is not 
acceptable, to return that insert to platform 32, and to place that 
bill-handling device in its "standby" or "ready" condition. 
Detailed Description of Analyses of Data 
The bill-handling device of the present invention does not start to analyze 
the denomination-determining data--which is collected and stored during 
scanning of the black seal area, the leading portrait border area, the 
left-hand portion of the portrait background, and the green seal 
area--until the air gap of magnetic head 208 has reached time-selected 
segment one hundred and eighty-five (185). Because the succession of 
time-related segments is not generated unless and until at least two (2) 
magnetic-ink lines are sensed in the leading portion of the border of a 
U.S. bill within less than seven and eight-tenths milliseconds (7.8 ms), 
the sensing of that leading portion of the border is important, even 
though no data is collected and stored during that sensing for subsequent 
analysis. By requiring those two magnetic-ink lines to be sensed within 
the same three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time period or within 
contiguous three and nine-tenths millisecond (3.9 ms) time periods, the 
bill-handling device of the present invention makes certain that no 
ordinary individual could use a ruling pen and magnetic ink to prepare two 
lines which would cause the bill-handling device to start generating the 
succession of time-related segments. Also by requiring the presence of 
each of those lines to be established by a signal corresponding to the 
leading edge and by an oppositely-developed signal corresponding to its 
trailing edge, and by requiring the minimum of two sets of edge-indicating 
signals to be developed within the same three and nine-tenths millisecond 
(3.9 ms) time period or within contiguous three and nine-tenths 
millisecond (3.9 ms) time periods, the present invention virtually insures 
that sixty (60 ) cycle electrical noise will not be accepted as 
line-indicating signals. 
Subsequently, as the CKBD connectives 748 and 750, respectively, of FIGS. 
13 and 14 branch the program to step 752 of FIG. 14, a comparing function 
during that step will determine whether the count in scratch pad register 
40 is greater than two (2). Because that count corresponds to the number 
of magnetic-ink lines or areas in the black seal area on a U.S. bill, and 
because non-magnetic ink is used to engrave that seal, there should be no 
count in scratch pad register 40. However, because electrical noise or 
some other transient might possibly cause a count of one (1) or two (2) to 
be stored in that scratch pad register, and because a photocopy of a U.S. 
bill that was made by a copying machine which uses magnetic particles 
would produce a large count in scratch pad register 40, it is practical to 
have step 752 provide a NO--even if the count in scratch pad register 40 
is two (2). However, if the count in that scratch pad register were to 
exceed two (2), as it would do if the insert was a photocopy made with 
magnetic particles, REJECT connectives 778 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 
14 and 8 would initiate the reject routine--with consequent returning of 
the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 752 of FIG. 14 provided a NO, a comparing 
function of step 754 would determine whether the count in scratch pad 
register 44 was greater than forty-seven (47). Because the count which 
represents the maximum distance between corresponding points on adjacent 
vertical portrait background lines of an authentic U.S. one dollar, two 
dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill is forty-seven (47), 
a YES from the comparing function of step 754 should and will, cause 
REJECT connectives 780 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 8 to 
initiate the reject routine. Thereupon, the insert would be returned to 
platform 32, and the bill-handling device would be re-set. 
If the comparing function 754 of FIG. 14 provided a NO, a comparing 
function of step 756 would determine whether the count in scratch pad 
register 44 was greater than forty-three (43). Because the count which 
represents the average distance between corresponding points on adjacent 
vertical portrait background lines of an authentic U.S. five dollar bill 
is in the range of forty-four through forty-seven (44-47), a YES from the 
comparing function of step 756 indicates that the insert is an authentic 
U.S. five dollar bill or is a photocopy of such a bill that was made by a 
copying machine which uses magnetic particles. Consequently, FIVE 
connectives 758 and 760, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 16 would branch the 
program to step 762 of FIG. 16. The comparing function of that step will 
determine whether the count in scratch pad register 45 is both greater 
than fourteen (14) and less than thirty-two (32). Because the count 
obtained from the green seal area of an authentic U.S. five dollar bill 
ranges from fifteen through thirty-one (15-31), whereas the count from the 
corresponding area on a counterfeit made with nonmagnetic ink would be 
zero (0) and the count from the corresponding area on a counterfeit made 
with magnetic ink or particles would exceed thirty-two (32), a YES from 
the comparing function of step 762 would establish that the insert was an 
authentic U.S. five dollar bill. The dotted-line step 903 of FIG. 16 is 
not significant where the program does not supply signals to a vending 
machine, and hence that step should not be considered. Next in this 
section, step 764 will respond to the YES from the comparing function of 
step 762 to store in scratch pad register 49 a signal which will enable 
the seven-segment unit 458 to exhibit a five (5) and also will enable the 
display 454 to exhibit a decimal point behind that five (5). Step 764 does 
not need to send a signal to either of scratch pad registers 50 and 51; 
because the data which was loaded into those scratch pad registers during 
step 520 will cause each of the seven-segment units 460 and 462 to exhibit 
a zero (0). 
The TX2 connectives 766 and 768, respectively, of FIGS. 16 and 17 will 
cause step 770 of FIG. 17 to initiate the display routine. During that 
routine, the display 454 will exhibit "5.00". While that display is 
exhibiting that value, a comparing function of step 772 will determine 
whether the U.S. five dollar bill has been moved far enough inwardly of 
transport 30 to permit the trailing edge thereof to free actuator 164. If 
that actuator is being held in switch-closing position by the U.S. five 
dollar bill, the program will loop at step 772 until the trailing edge of 
that U.S. five dollar bill frees actuator 164. Once that actuator has been 
freed, switch 162 will reopen; and the comparing function of step 772 will 
provide a YES. The T STOP connectives 774 and 776, respectively, of FIGS. 
17 and 8, will branch the program to step 592 of FIG. 8. 
During step 592, the logic "0" that was applied to the base of transistor 
346 to enable that transistor to cause the MOTOR START AND RUN block 348 
to energize the motor 562 will be removed; and, thereupon, that motor will 
be de-energized. A delay of one hundred milliseconds (100 ms) will be 
provided during step 594, as by causing the delay routine of FIG. 6 to be 
executed twice. At the end of that delay, the START connectives 596 and 
504, respectively, of FIGS. 8 and 5 will cause steps 506, 508 and 510 to 
place the bill-handling device in its "standby" or "ready"0 condition. 
If, instead of providing a YES, the comparing function of step 762 of FIG. 
16 had provided a NO, the insert would have been determined to be other 
than an authentic U.S. five dollar bill. Such an insert should be 
rejected; and the NO of that comparing function would cause the program, 
via REJECT connectives 794 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 16 and 8 to 
initiate the reject routine of FIG. 8. Thereupon, the insert will be 
returned to platfom 32, and the bill-handling device will be re-set. 
If, instead of providing a YES, the comparing function of step 756 of FIG. 
14 provided a NO, the routine of FIG. 16 would not have been executed. 
Instead, a comparing function of step 782 would determine whether the 
count in scratch pad register 44 is equal to the number forty-three (43). 
Because no authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar 
or twenty dollar bill has the portrait background lines thereof so spaced 
that the average distance between corresponding points on those lines is 
equal to forty-three (43), a YES at the conclusion of the comparing 
function of step 782 would indicate that the insert was not an authentic 
U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar 
bill. In response to such a YES, REJECT connectives 784 and 578, 
respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 8 would initiate the reject routine--with 
consequent returning of the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the 
bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 782 had provided a NO, a comparing 
function in step 786 would determine whether the count in scratch pad 
register 44 was less than the number twenty-nine (29). Because no 
authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty 
dollar bill has the portrait background lines thereof so spaced that the 
average distance between corresponding points on those lines is less than 
twenty-nine (29), a YES at the conclusion of the comparing function of 
step 786 would indicate that the insert was not an authentic U.S. one 
dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill. In 
response to such a YES, REJECT connectives 788 and 578, respectively, of 
FIGS. 14 and 8 would initiate the reject routine--with consequent 
returning of the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling 
device. 
If the comparing function of step 786 had provided a NO, a comparing 
function of step 790 would determine whether the count in scratch pad 
register 44 was less than thirty-seven (37). Because an authentic U.S. one 
dollar bill has the portrait background lines thereof so spaced that the 
average distance between corresponding points on those lines is in the 
range of twenty-nine through thirty-six (29-36), whereas each authentic 
U.S. two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bill has the 
portrait background lines thereof so spaced that the average distance 
between corresponding points in those lines is greater than thirty-seven 
(37), a YES at the conclusion of the comparing function of step 790 would 
indicate that the insert was an authentic U.S. one dollar bill. In 
response to such a YES, the ONE connectives 792 and 796, respectively, of 
FIGS. 14 and 18 will branch the program to step 798 in FIG. 18. 
A comparing function during that step will determine whether the count in 
scratch pad register 45 is greater than the number twenty-five (25). Such 
a determination is useful; because the count in scratch pad register 45 
will represent the number of magnetic-ink lines in the area on the insert 
which corresponds to the green seal on a U.S. bill, and the number of such 
lines on an authentic U.S. one dollar bill is in the range of six through 
twenty-five (6-25). This means that if the number in scratch pad register 
45 is greater than twenty-five (25), the insert is not an authentic U.S. 
one dollar bill. The resulting YES from the comparing function of step 798 
will, via REJECT connectives 806 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 18 and 8, 
initiate the reject routine--with consequent return of the insert to 
platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 798 of FIG. 18 provided a NO--as it 
should do if the insert is an authentic U.S. one dollar bill, a comparing 
function of step 800 will determine whether the number in scratch pad 
register 45 is less than five (5). This is a useful determination; because 
an insert which has less than five (5) magnetic-ink lines in the area 
which corresponds to the green seal on a U.S. bill is not an authentic 
U.S. one dollar bill. Consequently, if the comparing function of step 800 
provides a YES, the REJECT connectives 808 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 
18 and 8 will initiate the reject routine--with consequent return of the 
insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
As pointed out hereinbefore, the dashed line step 903 is not applicable to 
this section; and, consequently, a NO from the comparing function of step 
800 will cause a one (1) to be stored in scratch pad register 49 during 
step 802. The storing of that value in that scratch pad register will 
effect the display of a one (1) by the seven-segment unit 458 of the 
display 454 during step 770 of FIG. 17. The TX2 connectives 804 and 768, 
respectively, of FIGS. 18 and 17 will branch the program to step 770 of 
FIG. 17; and, thereupon, the display 454 will cause the seven-segment 
units 458, 460 and 462 thereof to exhibit a "1.00". 
A comparing function in next-succeeding step 772 will determine whether 
switch 162 has been permitted to re-open--as it will do when the trailing 
edge of the insert has been moved inwardly beyond the actuator 164 of that 
switch. If switch 162 has not been permitted to re-open, the program will 
loop at step 772 until the trailing edge of the insert has been moved far 
enough inwardly of the transport 30 to permit that switch to re-open. The 
resulting YES from the comparing function of step 772 will enable the 
program, via T STOP connectives 774 and 776, respectively, of FIGS. 17 and 
8 to stop the motor 562, provide a delay of one hundred milliseconds (100 
ms), initialize the ports, set the timer interrupt address, and start 
looping at step 510 until switch 146 is re-closed--all as provided by 
steps 592, 594, 506, 508 and 510 in FIGS. 8 and 5. In this way, the 
insertion of an authentic U.S. one dollar bill will be recognized by the 
display of appropriate indicia on seven-segment units 458, 460 and 462, 
and that bill will be accepted by being moved inwardly beyond the actuator 
164 of switch 162. 
If the insert had not been an authentic U.S. one dollar bill, the comparing 
function of step 790 of FIG. 14 would have provided a NO; and the 
comparing function of step 810 would determine whether the number in 
scratch pad register 44 is less than the number forty (40). Because no 
authentic U.S. two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill 
has the portrait background lines thereof so spaced that the average 
distance between corresponding points on those lines is less than forty 
(40), a YES at the conclusion of the comparing function of step 810 would 
indicate that the insert was not an authentic U.S. two dollar, five 
dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bill. In response to such a YES, 
REJECT connective 826 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 8 would 
initiate the reject routine--with consequenct returning of the insert to 
platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 810 had provided a NO, a comparing 
function in step 812 would determine whether the count in scratch pad 
register 45 was greater than the number fifty-nine (59). Such a comparison 
is useful, because no authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, 
ten dollar or twenty dollar bill has more than fifty-nine (59) magnetic 
ink lines in the denomination-defining numerals of the green seal area 
thereof. Consequently, if the comparing function of step 812 provides a 
YES, the insert is a photocopy of a U.S. bill which was made by a copying 
machine that uses magnetic particles, and hence should be rejected. As a 
result, a YES from the comparing function of step 812 will cause the 
program, via REJECT connectives 828 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 
8 to initiate the reject routine of FIG. 8--with consequent returning of 
the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 812 had provided a NO, a comparing 
function in step 814 would determine whether the count in scratch pad 
register 45 was less than thirty-three (33). Such a comparison is useful, 
because the number of magnetic-ink lines in the denomination-defining 
numerals of the green seal area on an authentic U.S. twenty dollar bill is 
in the range of thirty-three through fifty-nine (33-59), whereas the 
number of magnetic-ink lines in the denomination-defining numerals of the 
green seal area of each authentic U.S. ten dollar bill is in the range of 
eight through thirty-two (8-32) and the number of magnetic-ink lines in 
the denomination-defining numerals of the green seal area of many 
authentic U.S. two dollar bills is in the range of eight through 
thirty-two (8-32)--although some authentic U.S. two dollar bills have as 
many as thirty-five (35) magnetic-ink lines in the denomination-defining 
numerals of the green seal area thereon. Consequently, a NO at the 
conclusion of the comparing function of step 814 will indicate that the 
insert (a) is not an authentic ten dollar bill, (b) probably is not an 
authentic U.S. two dollar bill, and (c) probably is an authentic U.S. 
twenty dollar bill--although it might be an authentic U.S. two dollar 
bill. If that comparing function does provide a YES, a comparing function 
in step 816 would determine whether the count in scratch pad register 42 
was greater than one hundred and ten (110). 
Because the value in scratch pad register 42 is a measure of the 
point-to-point distance between corresponding points on the second and 
third portrait border lines, and because the point-to-point distance 
between corresponding points on the second and third portrait border lines 
on a twenty dollar bill is greater than one hundred and ten (110), whereas 
the point-to-point distance between corresponding points on the second and 
third portrait border lines on an authentic U.S. two dollar bill or an 
authentic ten dollar bill is in the range of fifteen through thirty-three 
(15-33), a YES at the conclusion of the comparing function of step 816 
would indicate that the insert was an authentic twenty dollar bill. 
Thereupon TWENTY connectives 818 and 820, respectively, in FIGS. 14 and 19 
would direct the program to step 822 in FIG. 19--the dotted-line step 903 
not being applicable in this section. During step 822, a two (2) will be 
loaded into scratch pad register 48 and a HEX 10 will be loaded into 
scratch pad register 49. Thereafter, TX 2 connectives 824 and 768, 
respectively, of FIGS. 19 and 17 will branch the program to step 770; and, 
during that step, the display 454 will be caused to exhibit "20.00" The 
program then will loop at next-succeeding step 772 until the insert is 
moved far enough inwardly of the transport 30 to permit switch 162 to 
re-open; and then T STOP connectives 774 and 776, respectively, of FIGS. 
17 and 8 will cause steps 592, 594, START connectives 596 and 504, and 
steps 506, 508 and 510 of FIGS. 8 and 5 to de-energize motor 562, provide 
a one hundred millisecond (100 ms) delay, initialize the Ports, set the 
timer interrupt address, and cause the program to loop at step 510. 
It will be noted that if the comparing function of step 814 had provided a 
YES, the program would have branched to step 832 so the determination of 
whether the insert was an authentic U.S. two dollar or ten dollar bill 
could be made by the routine which includes steps 832, 836, 840, 844, 862, 
866, 884, 888, 892 and 896. Consequently, when the comparing function of 
step 814 provided a NO, and when the comparing function in next-succeeding 
step 816 determined whether the count in scratch pad register 42 was 
greater than one hundred and ten (110), the primary purpose of the latter 
comparing function was to determine whether the insert was an authentic or 
spurious twenty dollar bill. If the answer to the comparing function of 
step 816 was NO, REJECT connectives 830 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 14 
and 8 would initiate the reject routine--with consequent returning of the 
insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
It is recognized that if the number of magnetic-ink lines in the 
denomination-defining numerals of the green seal area of an authentic U.S. 
two dollar bill were thirty-three (33), thirty-four (34), or thirty-five 
(35), the comparing functions of steps 814 and 816 would initiate the 
rejection of that bill. Specifically, the comparing function of step 814 
would respond to a count of thirty-three (33), thirty-four (34), or 
thirty-five (35) in scratch pad register 45 to direct the program to step 
816, and hence would necessarily direct that program away from step 832. 
Thereafter, the comparing function of step 816 would respond to the 
count--between fifteen and one hundred and nine (15-109)--in scratch pad 
register 42 that would represent the point-to-point distance between 
corresponding points on the second and third portrait border lines on all 
authentic U.S. two dollar bills--to provide a NO. Thereupon, REJECT 
connectives 830 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 8 would initiate 
the reject routine of FIG. 8--with consequent returning of that authentic 
U.S. two dollar bill to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling 
device. Although the rejection of authentic U.S. two dollar bills in this 
manner is possible, such a rejection does not normally occur; because the 
number of magnetic-ink lines in the denomination-defining numerals of the 
green seal area on most authentic U.S. two dollar bills is in the range of 
eight through thity-two (8-32). Moreover, it frequently happens that when 
a rejected authentic U.S. two dollar bill is re-inserted in the transport 
30, that bill will be authenticated and will have the value thereof 
displayed by the seven-segment units 458, 460 and 462 of the display 454. 
If the comparing function of step 832 provided a NO, a comparing function 
in step 836 would determine whether the count in scratch pad register 45 
was less than fifteen (15). Such a determination would be useful, because 
the point-to-point distance between corresponding points on the second and 
third portrait border lines on authentic U.S. two dollar and ten dollar 
bills provides a count in the range of fifteen through one hundred and 
nine (15-109). As a result, a YES at the end of the comparing function of 
step 836 would indicate that the insert was not an authentic U.S. two 
dollar or ten dollar bill; and REJECT connectives 838 and 578, 
respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 8 would initiate the reject routine--with 
consequent returning of the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the 
bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 836 provided a NO, a comparing function 
in step 840 would determine whether the count in scratch pad register 42 
was greater than one hundred and nine (109). Such a determination would be 
useful in effecting the rejection of any counterfeit bills which attempted 
to simulate the point-to-point distance between corresponding points on 
the second and third portrait border lines on an authentic twenty dollar 
bill. The count in scratch pad register 42, which was obtained during the 
scanning of such counterfeit bills, would be greater than one hundred and 
nine (109); and hence the comparing function of step 840 would provide a 
YES. Thereupon, the REJECT connectives 842 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 
14 and 8 would initiate the reject routine--with consequent returning of 
the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 840 provided a NO, a comparing function 
in step 844 would determine whether the count in scratch pad register 42 
was greater than seventy-one (71). Such a determination would be useful, 
because it would indicate that the insert could be an authentic U.S. two 
dollar bill and is not an authentic U.S. ten dollar bill. Specifically, 
the scanning of many authentic U.S. two dollar bills will provide a count, 
which represents the point-to-point distance between corresponding points 
on the second and third portrait border lines, in the range of seventy-two 
through one hundred and nine (72-109), whereas the corresponding scanning 
of authentic U.S. ten dollar bills will provide a much lower count--in the 
range of fifteen through fifty-five (15-55). Consequently, a YES at the 
end of the comparing function of step 844 would indicate that the insert 
was not an authentic U.S. ten dollar bill and probably was an authentic 
U.S. two dollar bill. The program would respond to that YES to branch, via 
TWO connectives 846 and 848, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 20 to step 850 
of FIG. 20. A comparing function of that step would determine whether the 
count in scratch pad register 41 was both less than one hundred and ten 
(110) and greater than fifty-nine (59). Such a determination would be 
useful in determining whether the insert was an authentic U.S. two dollar 
bill or was a counterfeit bill whereon the point-to-point distance between 
corresponding points on the first and second portrait border lines was 
different from the corresponding distance on authentic U.S. two dollar 
bills. Specifically, the scanning of an authentic U.S. two dollar bill 
would provide a count in scratch pad register 41 which was in the range of 
sixty through one hundred and nine (60-109); and that count would 
represent the point-to-point distance between corresponding points on the 
first and second portrait border lines on that bill. If the scanning of 
the same lines on a counterfeit bill provided a count of one hundred and 
ten (110) or more, that count would be above the upper end of the range 
for authentic U.S. two dollar bills; and, if that scanning provided a 
count of fifty-eight (58) or less, that count would be below the lower end 
of the range for authentic U.S. two dollar bills. In either event, the 
insert should be rejected; and the resulting NO from the comparing 
function of step 850 would cause the program, via REJECT connectives 852 
and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 20 and 8, to initiate the reject 
routine--with consequent returning of the insert to platform 32 and 
re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 850 provided a YES, a comparing function 
in step 854 would determine whether the count in scratch pad register 45 
was greater than eight (8) and less than thirty-five (35). Such a 
determination would be useful in determining whether the insert was an 
authentic U.S. two dollar bill or was a counterfeit bill whereon the 
number of magnetic-ink lines in the green seal area differed from the 
corresponding number of magnetic-ink lines on authentic U.S. two dollar 
bills. Specifically, the number of magnetic-ink lines in the green seal 
area on an authentic U.S. two dollar bill is in the range of eight through 
thirty-five (8-35); and if an insert provided a count of thirty-five (35) 
or more, that count would indicate that the insert was not an authentic 
U.S. two dollar bill. Similarly, if an insert provided a count of seven 
(7) or less, that count would indicate that the insert was not an 
authentic U.S. two dollar bill. In either event, the insert should be 
rejected; and the resulting NO from the comparing function of step 854 
would cause the program, via REJECT connectives 856 and 578, respectively, 
of FIGS. 20 and 8, to initiate the reject routine with consequent 
returning of the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling 
device. 
If the comparing function of step 854 provided a YES, the program will 
execute step 858. As pointed out hereinbefore, dotted-line step 903 is not 
applicable to this section. During step 858, a two (2) will be supplied to 
scratch pad register 49 to enable the display 454 to exhibit a "2.00" 
during step 770. Thereafter, TX2 connectives 860 and 768, respectively, of 
FIGS. 20 and 17 will branch the program to step 700; and, during that 
step, the display 454 will be caused to exhibit "2.00". The program then 
will loop at next-succeeding step 772 until the insert is moved far enough 
inwardly of the transport 30 to permit switch 162 to re-open; and then T 
STOP connectives 774 and 776, respectively, of FIGS. 17 and 8 will cause 
steps 592, 594, START connectives 596 and 504, and steps 506, 508 and 510 
of FIGS. 8 and 5 to de-energize motor 562, provide a one-hundred 
millisecond (100 ms) delay, initialize the Ports, set the timer interrupt 
address, and cause the program to loop at step 510. 
If the comparing function of step 844 provided a NO, a comparing function 
in step 862 would determine whether the count in scratch pad register 42 
was greater than fifty-five (55). Such a determination would be useful in 
determining whether the insert was an authentic U.S. two dollar or ten 
dollar bill or was a counterfeit bill; because a YES would indicate that 
the insert was a counterfeit bill, and would, via REJECT connectives 862 
and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 8 initiate the reject routine. 
Specifically, the count in scratch pad register 42 would represent the 
point-to-point distance between corresponding points on the second and 
third portrait border lines of an insert which could not be an un-worn 
authentic U.S. two dollar bill; because the corresponding count for an 
un-worn authentic U.S. two dollar bill is seventy-two through one hundred 
and nine (72-109). 
It will be noted that the comparing functions of steps 844 and 862 will 
permit only data from those inserts which provide a count--from the data 
corresponding to the distance between the second and third portrait border 
lines on U.S. bills--between fifty-five and seventy-one (55-71) to cause 
the program to execute step 866. Significantly, those steps will separate 
un-worn authentic U.S. two dollar bills from authentic U.S. ten dollar 
bills. Also, those steps will separate un-worn authentic U.S. two dollar 
bills from counterfeit bills which provide a count--from the data 
corresponding to the distance between the second and third lines on U.S. 
bills--of seventy-one (71) or less but more than fifty-five (55). 
If the comparing function of step 862 provided a NO, a comparing function 
in step 866 would determine whether the count in scratch pad register 42 
was greater than thirty-four (34). That count could be greater than 
thirty-four (34) if the insert was an un-worn authentic U.S. ten dollar 
bill; because the point-to-point distance between corresponding points on 
the second and third portrait border lines on such a bill provides a count 
which averages thirty-five through fifty-five (35-55). The resulting YES 
from the comparing function of step 866 would cause the program to branch, 
via TEN connectives 868 and 870, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 21, to step 
872 of FIG. 21. A comparing function during the latter step would 
determine whether the count in scratch pad register 41 was greater than 
ninety-nine (99) but less than one hundred and seventy-five (175). Such a 
determination would be useful because the sixty through one hundred and 
nine (60-109) range of point-to-point distances between corresponding 
portions of the first and second portrait border lines on an authentic 
U.S. two dollar bill and the one hundred through one hundred and 
seventy-five (100-175) range of point-to-point distances between 
corresponding portions of the first and second portrait border lines on an 
authentic U.S. ten dollar bill would enable the comparing function of step 
872 to provide a YES. In contrast, any insert which caused a count of 
ninety-nine (99) or less, or a count of one hundred and seventy-five (175) 
or more, to be stored in scratch pad register 41 while the air gap of 
magnetic head 208 was sensing the area on that insert which corresponds to 
the portrait border area on a U.S. bill would cause the comparing function 
of step 872 to provide a NO. Thereupon, REJECT connectives 874 and 578, 
respectively, of FIGS. 21 and 8 would initiate the reject routine--with 
consequent returning of the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the 
bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 872 provided a YES, a comparing function 
in step 876 would determine whether the count in scratch pad register 45 
was greater than eight (8) but less than thirty-three (33). Such a 
determination would be useful because the number of magnetic-ink lines in 
the green seal area on an authentic U.S. ten dollar bill is in the range 
of eight (8) through thirty-two (8-32). If the comparing function of step 
876 provided a NO, the insert would not be an authentic U.S. ten dollar 
bill; and thereupon, REJECT connectives 876 and 578, respectively, of 
FIGS. 21 and 8 would initiate the reject routine--with consequent 
returning of the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling 
device. 
If the comparing function of step 876 did provide a YES, data would be 
supplied to scratch pad registers 48 and 49 which would call for the 
display 454 to subsequently exhibit "10.00". The TX2 connectives 882 and 
768, respectively, of FIGS. 21 and 17 would cause the program to execute 
steps 770 and 772 of FIG. 17, steps 592 and 594 of FIG. 8, and steps 506, 
508 and 510 of FIG. 5 in the same manner in which that program executed 
those steps when the TX2 connectives 766 and 768, respectively, of FIGS. 
16 and 17 caused the program to execute those same steps. The display 454 
will respond to step 770 to exhibit "10.00". As pointed out hereinbefore, 
the dotted-line step 903 is not applicable to this section; and hence the 
YES at the end of the comparing function of step 876 caused the program to 
execute step 880. 
If the comparing function of step 866 of FIG. 14 had provided a NO, a 
comparing function in step 884 would determine whether the count in 
scratch pad register 42 was equal to the number thirty-four (34). It has 
been noted that some authentic U.S. two dollar bills, which have been 
repeatedly folded and unfolded along a line about midway between the upper 
and lower edges thereof, have so little magnetic ink in the second 
portrait border line thereof that the air gap of magnetic head 208 fails 
to sense that line. In such event, the arcuate magnetic-ink line which 
defines the left-hand edge of the portrait background will be the second 
magnetic-ink line in the portrait border area, and the first vertical 
portrait background line will be the third magnetic-ink line in the 
portrait border area. Because the spacing between that arcuate 
magnetic-ink line and that first vertical portrait background line is much 
smaller than the distance between the true second portrait border line and 
that arcuate magnetic-ink line, the corresponding count in scratch pad 
register 42 would be much less--ranging from fifteen through thirty-three 
(15-33). Somewhat similarly, it has been noted that some authentic U.S. 
ten dollar bills, which have been repeatedly folded and unfolded along a 
line about midway between the upper and lower edges thereof, have so 
little magnetic ink in the arcuate magnetic-ink line which defines the 
left-hand edge of the portrait background that the air gap of magnetic 
head 208 fails to sense that line. In that event, the count in scratch pad 
register 42 is less than the count which is stored in that scratch pad 
register during the scanning of an un-worn authentic U.S. ten dollar bill. 
The count in scratch pad register 42 should, when the portrait border area 
of a well-worn authentic U.s. two dollar or ten dollar bill is being 
scanned, be thirty-three or less. Consequently, it would be desirable to 
reject any insert which, during the scanning of the portrait border area 
thereof, caused a count of thirty-four (34) to be stored in scratch pad 
register 42. Consequently, a comparing function is performed during step 
884 which will provide a YES if the count in that scratch pad register is 
equal to the number 34. Thereupon, REJECT connectives 886 and 578, 
respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 8 would initiate the reject routine--with 
consequent returning of the insert to platform 32 and re-setting of the 
bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 884 provided a NO, a comparing function 
in step 888 of FIG. 15 would determine whether the count in scratch pad 
register 43 was greater than eighty (80). Such a determination would be 
useful because the fifty-three through eighty (53-80) range of 
point-to-point distances between corresponding portions of the third and 
fourth portrait border lines on an authentic U.S. two dollar bill, as well 
as the thirty through fifty-two (30-52) range of point-to-point distances 
between corresponding portions of the third and fourth portrait border 
lines on an authentic U.S. ten dollar bill, would enable the comparing 
function of step 888 to provide a NO. Any insert which provided a count of 
more than eighty (80), while the air gap of magnetic head 208 was sensing 
the area thereon which corresponds to the areas on U.S. bills where the 
third and fourth portrait border lines are located, should be rejected. 
Thereupon, REJECT connectives 890 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 15 and 8 
would initiate the reject routine--with consequent returning of the insert 
to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 888 had provided a NO, a comparing 
function in step 892 would determine whether the count in scratch pad 
register 43 was less than thirty (30). Because any count that was less 
than thirty (30) would not fall within either the fifty-three through 
eighty (53-80) range of point-to-point distances between corresponding 
portions of the third and fourth portrait border lines on an authentic 
U.S. two dollar bill or the thirty through fifty-two (30-52) range of such 
distances on an authentic U.S. ten dollar bill, any insert which provided 
such a count--while the air gap of magnetic head 208 was sensing the area 
thereon which corresponds to the areas on U.S. bills where the third and 
fourth portrait border lines are located--should be rejected. The YES, 
that would then be provided by the comparing function of step 892 would 
cause the REJECT connectives 894 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 15 and 8 
to initiate the reject routine--with consequent returning of the insert to 
platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. 
If the comparing function of step 892 provided a NO, a comparing function 
in step 896 would determine whether the count in scratch pad register 43 
was greater than fifty-two (52). Because the fifty-three through eighty 
(53-80) range of point-to-point distances between corresponding portions 
of the third and fourth portrait border lines on an authentic U.S. two 
dollar bill would cause the comparing function of step 896 to provide a 
YES, whereas the thirty through fifty-two (30-52) range of point-to-point 
distances between corresponding portions of the third and fourth portrait 
border lines on an authentic U.S. ten dollar bill would cause that 
comparing function to provide a NO, that step makes it possible to 
distinguish between, and to help identify, well-worn authentic U.S. two 
dollar and ten dollar bills. If the insert was a well-worn authentic U.S. 
two dollar bill, the YES from the comparing function of step 896 would 
cause the program, via TWO connectives 898 and 848, respectively, of FIGS. 
15 and 20, to initiate the steps 850, 854 and 858 of FIG. 20, steps 770 
and 772 of FIG. 17, steps 592 and 594 of FIG. 8, and steps 506, 508 and 
510 of FIG. 5 in the same manner in which that program executed those 
steps when the TWO connectives 846 and 848, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 
20 caused the program to execute those same steps. The display 454 will 
respond to step 770 to exhibit "2.00". On the other hand, if that insert 
was a well-worn authentic U.S. ten dollar bill, the NO from the comparing 
function of step 896 would cause the program, via TEN connectives 900 and 
870, respectively, of FIGS. 15 and 21 to initiate the steps 872, 876 and 
880 of FIG. 10, steps 770 and 772 of FIG. 17, steps 592 and 594 of FIG. 8, 
and steps 506, 508 and 510 of FIG. 5 in the same manner in which that 
program executed those steps when the TEN connectives 868 and 870, 
respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 21 caused the program to execute those same 
steps. The display 454 will respond to step 770 to exhibit "10.00". As 
pointed out hereinbefore, the dotted-line step 903 is not applicable to 
this section; and hence the YES at the end of the comparing function of 
step 854 of FIG. 20 caused the program to execute step 858, and the YES at 
the end of the comparing function of step 876 of FIG. 21 caused the 
program to execute step 880. 
In the analysis of the data, that was collected and stored during the data 
collection routine of the program, many tests are made which distinguish 
between authentic U.S. bills and inserts--even though those inserts 
provide closely-similar data. Moreover, that analysis of data makes many 
tests which distinguish authentic U.S. bills of different denominations 
from each other--even though some of those bills provide closely-similar 
data. The various tests that are made on various inserts are generally 
indicated by FIG. 25. 
The block entitled SEGMENT COUNT EQUALS 185 emphasizes the fact that two 
magnetic-ink lines or areas must be sensed on an insert within seven and 
eight-tenths milliseconds (7.8 ms). Also that block emphasizes the fact 
that those two magnetic-ink lines or areas must be sensed close enough to 
the leading edge of the insert to enable a total of one hundred and 
eighty-five (185) time-related segments to be scanned before the trailing 
edge of that insert releases the actuator 164 of switch 162. 
The block entitled BLACK SEAL LINE COUNT emphasizes the fact that any 
insert will be rejected if, during the time the area thereon which 
corresponds to the black seal area on a U.S. bill is being sensed, a count 
that is greater than two (2) is collected and stored in scratch pad 
register 40. The black seal areas on authentic U.S. one dollar, two 
dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills are effectively 
devoid of magnetic ink; and hence any insert which generates less than 
three counts during the scanning of the black seal area thereon should not 
be rejected because of that count. However, photocopies of U.S. bills 
which are made by copying machines which use magnetic particles, and other 
inserts which have magnetic-ink lines or areas in the "black seal area" 
thereof, should, and will, be rejected. 
The block entitled PORTRAIT GRID LINE AVERAGE SING IN INCREMENTS OF 22 
.mu.s emphasizes the fact that authentic U.S. one dollar bills can be 
distinguished from authentic U.S. two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and 
twenty dollar bills by the average point-to-point distances between 
corresponding points of the vertical portrait background lines thereof. 
Also, that block emphasizes the fact that authentic U.S. five dollar bills 
can be distinguished from authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, ten 
dollar and twenty dollar bills by the average point-to-point distances 
between corresponding points of the vertical portrait background lines 
thereof. In addition, that block emphasizes the fact that authentic U.S. 
two dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills cannot be distinguished 
from each other by scanning the average point-to-point distances between 
corresponding points of the vertical portrait background lines thereof. 
The upper left-hand block entitled GREEN SEAL LINE COUNT emphasizes the 
fact that authentic U.S. one dollar bills can be distinguished from 
authentic U.S. two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills 
and from counterfeit bills by the leading border test, the black seal 
test, the portrait background test, and the green seal test. The upper 
middle GREEN SEAL LINE COUNT block emphasizes the fact that authentic U.S. 
five dollar bills can be distinguished from authentic U.S. one dollar, two 
dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills and from counterfeit bills by 
the leading border test, the black seal test, the portrait background 
test, and the green seal test. The upper right-hand GREEN SEAL LINE COUNT 
block emphasizes the fact that authentic U.S. two dollar, ten dollar and 
twenty dollar bills can not be distinguished from each other by the 
leading border test, the black seal test, the portrait background test, 
and the green seal test. 
The upper left-hand block entitled PORTRAIT BORDER LINE 2 & 3 SING IN 
INCREMENTS OF 22 .mu.s emphasizes the fact that authentic U.S. twenty 
dollar bills can be distinguished from authentic U.S. two dollar and ten 
dollar bills by the leading border test, the black seal test, the portrait 
background test, the green seal test, and a test of the second portrait 
border line and of the succeeding space. The upper right-hand block 
entitled PORTRAIT BORDER LINE 2 & 3 SING IN INCREMENTS OF 22 .mu.s 
emphasizes the fact that un-worn authentic U.S. two dollar and ten dollar 
bills can be distinguished from each other by a test of the second 
portrait border line and of the succeeding space. However, that block 
emphasizes the fact that well worn authentic U.S. two dollar and ten 
dollar bills can not be distinguished from each other by a test of the 
second portrait border line and of the succeeding space. 
The block entitled PORTRAIT BORDER LINE 3 & 4 SING IN INCREMENTS OF 22 
.mu.s emphasizes the fact that well-worn authentic U.S. two dollar and ten 
dollar bills can be distinguished from each other by a test of the third 
portrait border line and of the succeeding space. 
The two blocks entitled PORTRAIT BORDER LINE 1 & 2 SING IN INCREMENTS OF 
22 .mu.s emphasize the fact that authentic U.S. two dollar and ten dollar 
bills can not be distinguished from each other by a test of the first 
portrait border line and of the succeeding space. However, those two 
blocks plus the lower block entitled PORTRAIT BORDER LINE 2 & 3 SING IN 
INCREMENTS OF 22 .mu.s and the two lower GREEN SEAL LINE COUNT blocks 
emphasize the fact that even well-worn authentic U.S. two dollar and ten 
dollar bills can be distinguished from each other by the leading border 
test, the black seal test, the portrait background test, repeated green 
seal tests, the test of the first portrait border line and of the 
succeeding space, repeated tests of the second portrait border line and of 
the succeeding space, and a test of the third portrait border line and of 
the succeeding space. These various tests make the acceptance rate of 
authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and twenty 
dollar bills unusually high, the ability to distinguish between those 
bills unusually high, and the rejection rate of counterfeit bills 
unusually high. 
Counterfeits Will Be Rejected 
The bill-handling device provided by the present invention will reject all 
known kinds of counterfeits of U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, 
ten dollar and twenty dollar bills. One kind of counterfeit bill which 
could be accepted by many prior bill-handling devices, but which will be 
rejected by the bill-handling device of the present invention, is a 
photocopy of an authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten 
dollar or twenty dollar bill that is made by a copying machine which uses 
magnetic particles. Such a counterfeit bill would cause the magnetic head 
208 to develop signals in the leading border, in the portrait border area 
and in the portrait background area that would closely simulate the 
signals which that magnetic head would produce when scanning the 
corresponding portion of an authentic U.S. bill. However, the large number 
of signals which the magnetic head would develop as it scanned the black 
seal area of that counterfeit bill, and the larger number of signals which 
that magnetic head would develop as it subsequently scanned the green seal 
area of that counterfeit bill, would enable the comparing function of step 
752 or the comparing function of step 812 of FIG. 14 to initiate the 
rejection of that counterfeit bill. 
If the person who made such a counterfeit bill were to cut the black seal 
area out of that bill, were to cover that black seal area with a cloth or 
plastic tape, or were to erase or scrape away the magnetic particles in 
that area, the comparing function of step 752 of FIG. 14 might not be able 
to effect the rejection of that counterfeit bill. However, even if that 
person were able to remove, or reduce the effect of, the magnetic 
particles in the normally-black seal, that person would find it very 
difficult, and perhaps impossible, to remove the magnetic particles which 
define the normally-green seal and yet leave enough of the lines in the 
adjacent indiciadefining numerals to avoid the rejection of the 
counterfeit bill. Specifically, that person would have to remove enough of 
the magnetic ink from the normally-green seal to keep the total number in 
scratch pad register 45 from exceeding the number fifty-nine (59) and yet 
would have to leave sufficient magnetic particles to enable the 
magnetic-particle lines in the area adjacent that seal to produce a count 
of at least five (5). 
All of this means that it would be extremely difficult, and perhaps 
impossible, for a person to make a magnetic-particle photocopy of a U.S. 
bill and then alter that copy so it would be accepted by the bill-handling 
device of the present invention. This would be the case even if that 
person knew the method of testing which is utilized by that bill-handling 
device and also knew the areas where the authenticity-determining and 
denomination-determining data are sensed. However, because the 
bill-handling device moves each insert wholly within the transport 30 
before initiating the authenticity-determining and 
denomination-determining routine of FIGS. 14 and 15, it would be difficult 
for a person to determine what areas of the insert are being sensed--much 
less determine which areas of the insert produce data that is collected 
and stored for subsequent use in determining whether the insert is an 
authentic or counterfeit bill. 
Alternate Embodiments Of Invention 
FIG. 22 
The routine which is represented by FIG. 12 causes a YES, at the conclusion 
of the comparing function of step 734, to effect prompt rejection of the 
insert--as by causing REJECT connectives 738 and 578, respectively, of 
FIGS. 12 and 8 to initiate the reject routine. If desired, the initiation 
of the reject routine could be delayed until the routine represented by 
FIG. 14 was executed. Specifically, as shown by FIG. 22, a YES at the 
conclusion of the comparing function of step 734 of FIG. 12 could cause 
zero (0) to be loaded into scratch pad register 5--as in step 902. At the 
conclusion of that loading function, the data in that scratch pad register 
would be transferred to scratch pad register 44 during step 730, and the 
ISAR would be incremented to address further data to scratch pad register 
45. Thereafter, the program would execute step 692 of FIG. 12, steps 658, 
634, 636 and 638 of FIG. 10, and step 536 of FIG. 5, and would then 
re-initiate the data collection routine of FIG. 5. The execution of steps 
730, 692, 658, 634, 636, 638 and 536, and the re-initiation of the data 
collection routine of FIG. 5, would be performed in the manner described 
hereinbefore. Also, the air gap of magnetic head 208 would scan the 
time-related segments on the insert, and the program would repeatedly 
execute the interrupt service routine of FIG. 7 until a YES at the 
conclusion of the comparing function of step 626 caused the routine of 
FIG. 13 to initiate the routine of FIG. 14. During step 786 of the latter 
routine, the count in scratch pad register 44 would be the zero (0) that 
was loaded into scratch pad register 5 during step 902 of FIG. 22 and that 
was transferred to scratch pad register 44 during step 730 of FIG. 12. 
That zero (0) would cause the comparing function of step 786 of FIG. 14 to 
provide a YES--with consequent initiation of the reject routine via REJECT 
connectives 788 and 578, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 8. Consequently, in 
the routine of FIG. 22, as well as in the routine of FIG. 12, the 
development of a YES by the comparing function of step 734 would effect 
the rejection of the insert. 
One advantage of the routine of FIG. 22, over the routine of FIG. 12, is 
that an insert is moved all of the way into the transport 30 before it is 
rejected. Such an arrangement will make it very difficult, and perhaps 
impossible, for a person who inserts a counterfeit bill--that will cause 
the comparing function of step 734 to provide a YES--to know which scanned 
area of the counterfeit bill caused the bill-handling device to reject the 
counterfeit bill. Consequently, it should be more difficult for such a 
person to modify, adapt, change or otherwise alter the counterfeit bill to 
try to make it pass some of the tests provided by the bill-handling device 
than it would be if (a) the rejection of that counterfeit bill occurred 
before that counterfeit bill was drawn all the way into transport 30 and 
(b) successive rejections of that counterfeit bill showed that it was 
being rejected at the same position within that transport. 
FIG. 23 
The flow chart of FIGS. 5-21 represents the sensing of inserts and the 
consequent displaying of indicia that will indicate whether the inserts 
are counterfeits or are authentic U.S. bills and also will indicate the 
denomination of each inserted authentic U.S. one dollar, two dollar, five 
dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bill. The bill-handling device of the 
present invention is not, however, limited to the mere displaying of 
indicia; and it is a simple matter to add to the flow chart of FIGS. 5-21 
a routine which will make that bill-handling device usable with a vending 
machine which can vend products and which can accept credits established 
by the insertion of one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or 
twenty dollar bills. If a vending machine was unable to respond to credits 
established by the insertion of a twenty dollar bill, the bill-handling 
device of the present invention could easily have the program thereof 
revised to make the number that would be used in the comparing function of 
step 816 of FIG. 14 so much higher than one hundred and ten (110) that all 
twenty dollar bills would be rejected. Similarly, if a vending machine was 
unable to respond to credits established by the insertion of a two dollar 
bill or a five dollar bill or a ten dollar bill, the bill-handling device 
of the present invention could easily have the program thereof revised to 
make it impossible for one or more of the tests, used to establish the 
authenticity of the appropriate one of those bills, to be met. As a 
result, the bill-handling device of the present invention could easily be 
adapted for use with vending machines that were able to respond to credits 
established by the insertion of one or more U.S. bills of one or more 
denominations in the group consisting of one dollar, two dollar, five 
dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills. 
Where the bill-handling device of the present invention is used with a 
vending machine of the "post select" type, that bill-handling device 
should be able to stop the motor 562 to hold a U.S. bill in "escrow" 
within the transport 30, to send a signal to the vending machine which 
would represent a credit equal to the denomination of the bill held in 
"escrow", to wait until the customer had pressed a selection switch and a 
comparator in the control equipment for the vending machine had determined 
that the credit at least equalled the price of the selected product, to 
keep the motor 562 de-energized until the vending machine supplied a 
signal which would indicate that a vending cycle had been initiated, and 
then re-start the motor 562 to complete the acceptance of the "escrowed" 
bill and the re-setting of the bill-handling device. FIG. 23 shows a 
routine which could be used in each of the dotted-line blocks 903 of FIGS. 
16 and 18-21 to enable the bill-handling device of the present invention 
to be used with "post select" vending machines. The numeral 904 denotes a 
step wherein the motor 562 would be de-energized in response to a YES from 
the comparing function of step 762 of FIG. 16, in response to a NO from 
the comparing function of step 800 of FIG. 18, in response to a YES from 
the comparing function of step 816 of FIG. 14 via the TWENTY connectives 
818 and 820, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 19, in response to a YES from 
the comparing function of step 854 of FIG. 20, or in response to a YES 
from the comparing function of step 876 of FIG. 21. After motor 562 was 
de-energized, a fifty millisecond (50 ms) delay would be provided during 
step 905 in the same way in which a fifty millisecond (50 ms) delay is 
provided during step 486 of FIG. 5. During step 906, a "denomination 
accept" signal will be supplied to the vending machine which would 
indicate that an authentic U.S. bill of a specified denomination had been 
introduced into transport 30 and was being held in "escrow" within that 
transport. During step 908, a determination would be made of whether the 
vending machine had supplied a "cancel sale" signal--due to the pressing 
of the "cancel sale" switch of the vending machine by the patron, or due 
to a determination by a comparator in the control equipment for the 
vending machine that the difference between the value of the "escrowed" 
bill and the lowest-price product exceeded the amount of money that was 
available to make change. If the determination of step 908 provided a YES, 
the program would, via REJECT connectives 910 and 578, respectively, of 
FIGS. 23 and 8 initiate the reject routine--with consequent return of the 
bill to platform 32 and re-setting of the bill-handling device. However, 
if the determination of step 908 provided a NO, a determination would be 
made during step 912 of whether the vending machine had received and had 
responded to the "denomination accept" signal provided during step 906. If 
the determination of step 912 provided a NO--thereby indicating that the 
patron had not made a selection, the program would loop at steps 908 and 
910 until a comparing function during step 908 indicated receipt of a 
"cancel sale" signal, or a comparing function during step 912 determined 
that the vending machine had received and had responded to the 
"denomination accept" signal that was supplied during step 906. In the 
former instance, the REJECT connectives 910 and 578, respectively, of 
FIGS. 23 and 8 would initiate the reject routine; whereas in the latter 
instance, the motor 562 would be re-started in the "forward" direction 
during step 914--with consequent initiation of step 764 of FIG. 16, of 
step 802 of FIG. 18, of step 822 of FIG. 19, of step 858 of FIG. 20, or of 
step 880 of FIG. 21. It thus can be seen that by using the routine of FIG. 
23 in each of the dotted-line steps 903 of FIGS. 16 and 18-21, the 
bill-handling device of the present invention could be used with a vending 
machine of the "post select" type to stop the motor 562 to hold a U.S. 
bill in "escrow" within the transport 30, to send a "denomination accept" 
signal to the vending machine, to return the "escrowed" bill to the patron 
in the event a "cancel sale" signal is developed, or to effect the 
acceptance of the "escrowed" bill and the initiation of the vending of the 
desired product if no "cancel sale" signal is developed. In the event the 
"escrowed" bill is returned to the patron, the "0.00" will appear on 
seven-segment units 458, 460 and 462 of display 454; but, in the event 
that bill is accepted, the denomination of that bill will appear on the 
appropriate seven-segment units of that display. 
The bill-handling device of the present invention also could be used with 
vending machines of the "pre-select" type. All that would be needed would 
be to use a step, like step 906 of FIG. 23 in the dotted-line steps 903 of 
FIGS. 16 and 18-21. That step would respond to a YES from the comparing 
function of step 762 of FIG. 16, a NO from the comparing function of step 
800 of FIG. 18, a YES from the comparing function of step 816 of FIG. 14 
via the TWENTY connectives 818 and 820, respectively, of FIGS. 14 and 19, 
a YES from the comparing function of step 854 of FIG. 20, or a YES from 
the comparing function of step 876 of FIG. 21 to effect the initiation of 
step 764 of FIG. 16, of step 802 of FIG. 18, of step 822 of FIG. 19, of 
step 858 of FIG. 20, or of step 880 of FIG. 21. It thus can be seen that 
by using a step, like step 906 of FIG. 23, in each of the dotted-line 
steps 903 of FIGS. 16 and 18-21, the bill-handling device of the present 
invention could be used with pre-select vending machines. The value of the 
inserted bill would appear on the appropriate seven-segment units of 
display 454. 
Where the routine of FIG. 23 is used in the dotted-line steps 903 of FIGS. 
16 and 18-21, the initialization of ports--that is provided during step 
506 of FIG. 5 and that is described hereinbefore in the TURN ON 
section--must be augmented. Specifically, the initialization of ports 
during step 506 must provide the following values. 
______________________________________ 
PORT PIN FUNCTION LOGIC VALUE 
______________________________________ 
0 3 $1 "denomination accept 
0 
signal" from micro- 
processor 
0 4 $2 "denomination accept 
signal" from microprocessor 
0 
0 5 $5 "denomination accept 
signal" from microprocessor 
0 
0 6 $10 "denomination accept 
signal" from microprocessor 
0 
0 7 $20 "denomination accept 
signal" from microprocessor 
0 
1 0 "cancel sale" signal 
0 
1 1 "denomination accept" signal 
from vending machine 
0 
______________________________________ 
FIG. 24 
The bill-handling device of FIGS. 1-23 is preferred because of its low 
cost, compact size, ease of manufacture, and minimum maintenance. However, 
if desired, a discrete logic version of that bill-handling device could be 
used; and one such discrete logic version is shown by FIG. 24. The block 
1000 generally represents a transport that preferably will be identical to 
the transport 30; and the conductors 1002, 1004 and 1006 are identical in 
purpose and function to the conductors of FIG. 4 which extend, 
respectively, between switch 146 and pin 4 of Port 1, between switch 156 
and pin 6 of the port, and between switch 162 and pin 5 of that port. 
Conductor 1008 is identical in purpose and function to the conductor which 
connects the base of resistor 344 to pin 7 of Port 5; and conductor 1010 
is identical in purpose and function to the conductor which connects the 
base of resistor 450 to pin 6 of that port. The magnetic head 208, the 
amplifier combination and low pass filter 420, the level detector 422, the 
Schmitt trigger 424, and the monostable multivibrator 426 of FIG. 4 would 
be used to supply the "head signals" to the left-hand input of a counter 
1012 of FIG. 24. Although various counters could be used as the counter 
1012, two 7497 4-bit Binary Counters plus two 7402 Quad 2-input NOR gates 
would be useful. An oscillator, which provides a twenty-two microsecond 
(22 .mu.s) output, is generally denoted by the numeral 1014; and it 
consists of a twenty-seven picofarad (27 pf) capacitor 1016, two 7404 
inverters 1018 and 1020, a crystal 1024, and two four hundred and seventy 
(470) ohm resistors 1025 and 1028. The oscillator output is inverted by a 
7404 inverter 1022 and is applied to the lower left-hand input of counter 
1012. That inverted output also is applied to a divide-by-hundred 1-74490 
Dual Decade Counter 1030 to provide a two and two-tenths millisecond (2.2 
ms) clock. A clock divider 1032, which includes three 7493 binary counters 
receives that two and two-tenths millisecond (2.2 ms) clock; and the 
outputs of that clock divider are applied to inputs of MM1- 10H8 Dual 
Octal 10 Input And/Or Gate Arrays 1034 and 1036. Interconnections 1038, 
1040 and 1042, between the Gate Arrays 1034 and 1036, are provided in 
standard and usual manner. A re-set conductor 1046 and a Select Clock 
Input conductor 1048 extend from Gate Array 1034 to counter 1012. 
The numeral 1050 denotes an interface which is connected to Gate Array 1036 
and which is connectable to a vending machine that would be able to 
respond to credits corresponding to the insertion of one dollar, two 
dollar, five dollar, ten dollar or twenty dollar bills. Conductors 1052 
and 1054 interconnect that Interface and Gate Array 1036. 
Counter 1012 counts the inverted twenty-two microsecond (22 .mu.s) output 
of oscillator 1014; and it responds to logic transitions in the head 
signals to re-set itself. As a result, that counter effectively times the 
intervals between logic level changes in the head signals. 
The output of counter 1012 is applied to the A input of a 12-bit Adder 1056 
which consists of three 7483 4-bit Adders. That output also is applied to 
the A input of Multiplexer 1058 which consists of two 74157 Multiplexers. 
An output of the 12-bit Adder 1056 is applied to the B input of 
Multiplexer 1058. A further output of the 12-bit Adder 1056 is applied to 
a 12-bit Latch 1060 which consists of two 74LS374 latches. The output of 
that 12-bit Latch is connected to the B input of the 12-bit Adder 1056 and 
of the Multiplexer 1058. The four most significant bits of the A input of 
12-bit Adder 1056 are grounded. The eight most significant bits of the 
12-bit Adder 1056 are applied to the B input of the Multiplexer 1058. The 
output of that Multiplexer is applied to the data input of an 8.times.8 
Register File 1062 which consists of four 74LS670 4.times.4 Register 
Files. The output of Register File 1062 is applied to the A input of a 
comparator 1064 which consists of three 7485 4-bit Magnitude Comparators. 
The B input of that comparator receives signals from a ROM 1066 which 
consists of one or more MMI 6330 ROMs. An Address Counter 1068, which 
consists of two 7497 Binary Counters, is connected to the ROM 1066 to 
drive the addresses of that ROM. That Address Counter receives a signal 
from the Gate Array 1036. 
The address and read-write functions of the Register File 1062 are 
controlled by Gate Array 1036. The output of the Comparator 1064 is 
connected to Gate Array 1036 which provides "equal to" or "less than" 
outputs. Control signals from Gate Array 1034 control (a) the 12-bit Latch 
1060, (b) the Multiplexer 1058, and (c) the Reset and Select count 
functions of counter 1012. In addition, Gate Array 1034 provides a re-set 
function for Clock Divider 1032. 
The discrete logic version of the bill-handling device of FIGS. 1-23 will 
receive signals that will be identical to the signals which are received 
by pin 7 of Port 1 of microprocessor 470 of FIG. 4. That discrete logic 
version will supply denomination-indicating signals to a display, not 
shown, which is identical to the display 454 of FIG. 4. Also, that 
discrete logic version will supply authenticity-indicating as well as 
denomination-indicating signals, to the vending machine, via Interface 
1050, which will be identical to the "denomination accept" signals 
provided during step 906 of FIG. 23. 
Other Alternate Embodiments 
Although the level detector 422 of FIG. 4 is useful in determining which 
signals, that it receives from the combination-amplifier and low pass 
filter 420, should be supplied to Schmitt trigger 424, the replacement of 
that level detector by a peak detector will increase the effectiveness of 
the bill-handling device. Instead of sensing portions of leading-edge 
signals, which may be essentially vertical or which may have applicable 
slopes--as determined by the age and the usage of the inserted bill, as a 
level detector must do, a peak detector would sense the peaks of the head 
signals from the combination amplifier and low pass filter 420. The point 
to point distance between the peaks of succeeding signals is far less 
subject to variation due to the slopes of the leading edges of those 
signals than is the point to point distance between the leading edges of 
those signals. Further, the point to point distance between the peaks of 
succeeding signals is far less subject to variation due to the amplitudes 
of those signals than is the point to point distance between the leading 
edges of those signals. In addition, a peak detector is far less likely to 
"miss" a low amplitude signal than is a level detector--whose threshold 
level could well be above the maximum level of some signals obtained from 
authentic, but old and well worn, U.S. bills. 
The ink that is used to engrave the portrait, the portrait background, and 
other areas on the black-ink faces of U.S. bills is well suited for 
engraving purposes, but it does not constitute a desirable medium for the 
affixing of magnetic particles to a sheet of paper. The magnetic particles 
in that ink are not the types of particles which are used in making 
magnetic tapes or discs, and they are harder to sense than are the 
particles which are used on those tapes and discs. That ink provides 
random and undesirably-variable concentrations of magnetic particles at 
different points along lines of constant width, it permits the wearing 
away of significant proportions of those magnetic particles during 
circulation of the bills, and it provides irregular, rather than sharp and 
precise, edges for the lines. Also, the engraving of U.S. bills is, and 
for many years has been, directed to making those bills visually 
recognizable, and some of the engraving practices make precise magnetic 
recognition of portions of those bills difficult. As a result, the sensing 
of the point to point distance between the leading edges of signals 
obtained by sensing the magnetic-ink lines on U.S. bills is not truly 
satisfactory. By replacing the level detector 422 of FIG. 4 with a peak 
detector, it is possible to make the counts, on which the bill-handling 
device of the present invention relies, more accurate, more predictable, 
and more attainable. Consequently, in the preferred embodiment of the 
present invention, the numeral 422 in FIG. 4 will denote a peak detector. 
That peak detector preferably will be a part of a MOTOROLA MC3470 
integrated circuit that will be used to replace all of the combination 
amplifier and low pass filter 420, level detector 422, Schmitt trigger 424 
and monostable multivibrator 426. 
The bill-handling device that is provided by the present invention provides 
unusually-precise determinations of authenticity and denomination of U.S. 
one dollar, two dollar, five dollar, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills. 
Also, that device provides an unusually high degree of rejection of 
counterfeits of all kinds. However, when a low cost gear train, low cost 
pulleys, low cost shafts, and low cost drive belts are used to move 
inserted bills through the transport 30, the tolerances and lack of 
concentricality in that gear train, in those pulleys, and in those shafts 
cause the movement of inserted bills past the air gap of magnetic head 208 
to occur at non-uniform rates. Specifically where such a gear train, 
pulleys, shafts and belts are used, it is possible to have appreciable 
variations in the speeds of the inserted bill occur. Those variations are 
cyclic in nature, because they are generated by rotative components; and 
hence they provide recurrent increases and decreases in the speeds of the 
bills as those bills are moved past the magnetic head 208. Those 
variations in bill speed necessarily cause the data, which is collected 
during those variations, to depart from the norm which is established on 
the basis of a precisely uniform bill speed. 
An alternative to the use of a higher-priced gear train, of higher-priced 
shafts, of higher-priced pulleys, and of higher-priced belts in the 
collecting and storing of data that is obtained by scanning a 
relatively-large number of lines, and then subsequently averaging that 
data. Such a procedure is followed in the routine of FIG. 12; and that 
procedure has minimized the effect which variations in bill speed have had 
on the tests of the point-to-point spacings of lines in the portrait 
backgrounds of bills. 
It would be possible to minimize the effects which variations in bill speed 
have on other tests that are made on inserted bills; and one test where 
that minimization would be particularly desirable is the test of the 
point-to-point spacing of the portrait border lines. That minimization 
could be effected by utilizing the data, which is subsequently obtained 
during the sensing of the sixteen (16) lines in the portrait background, 
to determine where the speed variations occur, and then using that 
determination to modify the data which was obtained during the sensing of 
the portrait border lines. More specifically, because the variations in 
bill speed tend to be sinusoidal and to occur at predictable frequencies, 
it is possible, by sensing the point-to-point spacing of a few of the 
sixteen (16) portrait background lines, to determine the point on the 
sinusoid when the air gap of magnetic head 208 sensed the portrait border 
lines. The precentage of change, which is noted at that point on the 
sinusoid can be determined, and then can be used to adjust the measurement 
of the point-to-point spacing of the portrait border lines, and thereby 
effectively eliminate any variation in spacing sensing which was due to 
variations in bill speed. The overall result will be an increase in the 
statistical accuracy of the comparisons which are made, and which are 
relied upon, to differentiate between authentic two dollar bills and ten 
dollar bills. 
Whereas the drawing and accompanying description have shown and described 
one embodiment of the present invention, it should be apparent to those 
skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the 
invention without affecting the scope thereof.