Patent ID: 7237711

Claim:
An apparatus for enabling authentication of a paper-based form of payment, comprising: an illumination device including a housing, a light source mounted within a cavity of the housing and a light transmissive support plate engaged with the housing, wherein the housing and the light source are configured for enabling light from the light source to impinge upon the light transmissive support plate, and illuminate the paper-based form of payment placed on the transmissive support plate to authenticate the paper based form of payment; an interface unit coupled to the light source of the illumination device, wherein the interface unit is configured for activating the light source in response to at least one of determining when a prescribed event of a sales transaction processing unit has been performed and receiving a signal designating that the prescribed event of the sales transaction processing unit has been performed; a force sensitive sensor configured for selectively activating the light source dependent upon placement of the paper-based form of payment on the light transmissive support plate and wherein the light transmissive support plate is engaged with the force sensitive sensor; and the light transmissive support plate is mounted in a manner enabling force to be applied on the force sensitive sensor by the light transmissive support plate when a corresponding force is applied on a support surface of the light transmissive support plate.