Methods and systems for detecting coin fraud in coin-counting machines and other devices

A method for controlling a transaction in a coin-counting machine, the method comprising:

• receiving multiple coins;
• discriminating at least a portion of the received coins;
• counting a first number of the discriminated portion of coins that fall within a first range of a coin characteristic, the first range being related to an acceptable coin type;
• counting a second number of the discriminated portion of coins that fall within a second range of the coin characteristic, the second range being related to an unacceptable coin type;
• and
• controlling the transaction based on the first and second numbers.

A method for controlling a transaction in a coin-counting machine, the method comprising:

• receiving multiple coins;
• discriminating at least a portion of the received coins;
• counting a number of the discriminated portion of coins having characteristics falling within at least one of a first range of a coin characteristic and a second range of the coin characteristic, the first range being at least partially related to an acceptable coin type and the second range being at least partially related to an unacceptable coin type;
• and
• controlling the transaction based on the number.

A coin-counting apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving multiple coins;
• means for discriminating at least a portion of the received coins;
• means for counting a number of the discriminated portion of coins having characteristics that fall within a range of a coin characteristic at least partially related to an unacceptable coin type;
• and
• means for controlling the transaction based on the number.

A method for controlling a coin-counting machine, comprising:

• receiving multiple coins;
• obtaining a distinguishing characteristic associated with each of the multiple coins;
• dynamically adjusting a threshold, wherein the threshold determines whether to accept or reject a given coin;
• and
• processing at least some of the multiple coins based on the dynamically adjusted threshold and the obtained characteristics.

A method for controlling a coin-counting machine, comprising:

• defining a preferred range associated with a measured characteristic for a selected coin denomination, wherein the preferred range has a lower threshold value and an upper threshold value;
• defining at least one questionable range associated with the measured characteristic for the selected coin denomination, wherein the questionable range is approximately adjacent to at least the lower or upper threshold values;
• and
• analyzing and disposing of a given coin by:
• (a) accepting the given coin and incrementing a counting value if the coin falls outside of the preferred range but inside the questionable range;
• (b) rejecting the given coin if it falls outside of the preferred and questionable ranges;
• and
• (c) accepting the given coin if it lies within the preferred range.

A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer to detect coin fraud in a coin-counting machine, the coin fraud being detected by a method comprising:

• receiving multiple coins;
• discriminating at least a portion of the received coins;
• counting a first number of the discriminated portion of coins that fall within a first range of a coin characteristic, the first range being related to an acceptable coin type;
• counting a second number of the discriminated portion of coins that fall within a second range of the coin characteristic, the second range being related to an unacceptable coin type;
• and
• controlling the transaction based on the first and second numbers.

An apparatus for counting coins, the apparatus comprising:

• a coin input region configured to receive multiple coins;
• a coin discriminator positioned to receive at least a portion of the multiple coins from the coin input region and discriminate the portion of coins, the coin discriminator configured to discriminate a coin characteristic having at least a first range and a second range, the first range being related to an acceptable coin type and the second range being related to an unacceptable coin type;
• a coin selector positioned to receive coins from the coin discriminator, the coin selector configured to count acceptable coins for retention within the apparatus and reject unacceptable coins;
• and
• a fraud detection component connected to the coin discriminator to receive information from the coin discriminator, the fraud detection component configured to count a first number of the portion of coins having coin characteristics that fall within the first range of the coin characteristic, the fraud detection component further configured to count a second number of the portion of coins having coin characteristics that fall within the second range of the coin characteristic, the fraud detection component still further configured to control the coin selector based on the first and second numbers.

A method for controlling a coin-counting machine, the method comprising:

• receiving at least a first coin and a second coin;
• discriminating the first coin;
• dispositioning the first coin based at least partially on the discrimination of the first coin;
• discriminating the second coin;
• and
• dispositioning the second coin based at least partially on the discrimination of the first coin and the second coin.