# US 2013/0152690 A1 · Foreign body detecting

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- Number: US 2013/0152690 A1
- Document ID: US20130152690A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/330,025
- Filed: 2011-12-19
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19
- Assignees: NCR Corporation
- Inventors: Jim Henderson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152690A1

## CPC

- G01N 29/46: by spectral analysis, e.g. Fourier analysis {or wavelet analysis (spectral signal processing per se G06F17/14)}
- G01N 29/343: {pulse waves, e.g. particular sequence of pulses, bursts}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A self-service terminal has a fascia 1. A transmitter 18 sends a chirped ultrasonic pulse across a region R of the fascia. The pulse interacts with the region R and the region R responds by emitting an output. A receiver 20 receives the output and produces an electrical signal corresponding to the output. A frequency analysing module 24 transforms the electrical signal into a frequency response.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A self-service terminal comprising:
a fascia;
a transmitter sending a chirped ultrasonic pulse across a region of the fascia;
wherein the pulse interacts with the region and the region responds by emitting an output;
a receiver receiving the output and producing an electrical signal corresponding to the output; and,
an analysing module including a frequency domain analysing function transforming the electrical signal into a frequency response.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A self-service terminal according to claim 1, where the frequencies of the pulse are in the range of 30 to 100 KHz.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the region comprises one or more parts of the fascia.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A self-service terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a signal generator producing a chirped electrical pulse that the transmitter converts into a chirped ultrasonic pulse.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A self-service terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a microprocessor controlling the signal generator and analysing module.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A self-service terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a memory storing a baseline frequency response and/or frequency response characterisations.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter sends a succession of pulses.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the pulse is damped.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter and receiver are co-located.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter and receiver are combined as a single transducer unit.

### Claim 11

A method of detecting foreign bodies at a self-service terminal, the method comprising:
sending a chirped ultrasonic pulse across a region of a fascia of the terminal so that the pulse interacts with the region and the region responds by emitting an output;
receiving the output;
producing an electrical signal corresponding to the output; and,
analysing the electrical signal including making a frequency domain analysis involving transforming the electrical signal into a frequency response.

### Claim 12 (depends on 12)

A method according to claim 12, further comprising determining a baseline frequency response in the absence of foreign bodies and subsequently comparing a determined frequency response with the baseline response.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

A method according to claim 12 wherein a succession of chirped pulses are sent across the fascia and the baseline response is established on the basis of a historical average of frequency responses.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

A method according to claim 12, further comprising characterising a range of foreign bodies by determining the frequency response with each foreign body present, storing the frequency responses and subsequently comparing a determined frequency response with the stored frequency responses.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

A method according to claim 11 wherein analysing the electrical signal also, or instead of making a frequency domain analysis, includes making a time domain analysis of the electrical signal.