Importance

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Abstract

A coin sensor device for determining the authenticity of a coin traveling along a predefined path including a first sensor device such as an optical sensor device located along the path, a second sensor device such as a second optical sensor device spaced a predetermined distance from the first sensor device along the path, the first and second sensor devices producing signal responses when a coin moves thereby, and a processing device connected to the first and second sensor devices for measuring two distinctive time intervals, the first time interval beginning when the trailing edge of the coin is sensed by the first sensor device and continuing until the trailing edge is sensed by the second sensor device, the second time interval beginning when the leading edge of the same coin is sensed by the second sensor device and continues until the trailing edge is sensed by the second sensor device, the processing device determining the ratio of the two time intervals and based on a determination of a predetermined ratio generating a signal to indicate the acceptability of the coin. The first and second sensor devices are preferably spaced along the predefined path such that certain large denomination coins will be able to simultaneously interrupt both the first and second sensor device and small denomination coins will interrupt the first and second sensor devices one at a time.

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First Claim